Carnival of Chaos

 
The Carnival of Chaos has always been one of the most intense and characterful of all the various factions of Mordheim.  I have always wanted to make one, but never really had the excuse.  This one was built and painted on behalf of a client.  It was a sheer joy to create.  The Carnival offers so many awesome conversion and painting opportunities.

+++THE CARNIVAL MASTER+++

 Step right up!  Step right up!

 Come one, come all!  Tickets just two groats!

The Carnival Master was based on an image in the hallowed Empire in Flames supplement.  My original Carnival Master design lacked the fortune-teller elements, but after I saw that drawing, I knew what I was going to aim for.  I think overall that he came together quite well.

+++THE FLY+++

Bzzzzzzzz.

Bzz.  Bzz.

 Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The Fly was one of the later heroes that I made for this warband.  The client wanted a hero with the Cloud of Flies mutation; I struggled with how to represent it, until I saw the fly head on the Plaguebearers sprue.  Problem solved.

+++UNCLE KRAMPUS+++

 I'm making a list...

 ...checking it twice...

...gonna find out if you're naughty or nice.

You'll get more than a lump of coal this year.

Not a pretty sight.

The last thing you want to see making a diving charge.

I've seen other modelers take an ogre body and swap out the feet to create a totally different look.  After I saw that, I knew I had to try it for myself.  This warband proved the perfect opportunity to do so.  In game terms, this guy is a mutant ("tainted one") with the Bloated Foulness mutation.  This increases his toughness and wounds at the expense of his movement - rather fitting, I think.

+++PINHEAD+++

A face only a Grandfather Nurgle could love.

Big club, small head.

No skin, no problem.

Fat, but not jolly.

The two strong-men were based on the fantastic Lord of Plagues miniature.  In reading blogs like The Convertorum, I learned that the best way to achieve a different look to a model is to break up its silhouette.  To this end, I cut off the spines and added hooks.  The axe blade was replaced by a heavy mace head made from a bit from the Terradon Rider model.

+++THE JESTER+++

You think I'm funny?

I'm funny how?  I mean funny like I'm a clown? Like I amuse you?

What's a "juggalo" anyway?

 Used to say "kick me."

This is the second strong-man model.  Based on the same model as the first, I had to get extra creative in breaking up his outline so that he would stand out from his companion.  To this end, I used the Bretonnian head and a terminator shoulder pad to change his outline.

+++NURGLINGS+++

 

One of the greatest things about the Carnival of Chaos warband is that it can have individual Nurglings (as opposed to swarms).  I painted up and based seven of them for this warband.  A lucky number...

+++PLAGUE BEARERS+++

These were straightforward plague bearers assembled straight out of the box.  I love the models and they really embody the Nurgle theme.

+++BRETHREN+++

Brethren for Chaos warbands - be it Possessed or Carnival of Chaos - are always a challenge.  They need to look human, but not too much.  Yet they shouldn't look like mutants or zombies either.  I found a couple sprues of the old Gorkamorka orks in a bitz bin for sale - these proved to be a godsend for the unique bodies.

+++ADDITIONAL IMAGES+++