Ipresent the Legio Mortis Reaver Titan Ferrus Castigatus. This Reaver class battle titan is the second addition to my maniple, and it is truly an exceptional kit. Compared to the massive Warlord, the Reaver is both simpler and at same time trickier to assemble.

Assembly tips

While the weapons and torso are relatively straightforward, special attention should be given to the legs and feet. The asymmetrical nature of the feet can easily lead to unintentional mix-ups, so I highly recommend referencing the box art and conducting a dry-fit.

The lower leg armour assembly is another critical area to watch out for, ensuring a seamless alignment above the front piston armor. However, achieving this can be surprisingly challenging, depending on the level of articulation designed into the stride. I learned this the hard way when I assembled the first one, so it’s definitely something to be cautious about.

Plastic Reaver Titan in legio Mortis colours
Plastic Reaver Titan in legio Mortis colours

Melta weapon heat effect

The Ferrus Castigatus is assembled using the separate optional loadout Reaver kit, which offers additional carapace and arm weapon options, along with three alternative style heads that I really appreciate.

For me, including the melta cannon was essential as it evokes nostalgic memories from the original game. The current design, complete with heat shields, truly captures its essence in my opinion. To achieve the heat discoloration effect along the louvres, I employed a range of transparent acrylic artists inks over the chrome base.

This technique allows the metallics to shine through, resembling the effect seen on exhausts. I have summarized the palette in the ‘Forges of Mars’ section, but in short, it is applied in the following order: start with a clear yellow or sepia, followed by red, then purple, and finally, a super thin band of blue at the very tip. Each color slightly overlaps the previous one, with diminishing width bands.