I find my time to paint being limited by the realities of life. I enjoy putting paint to the miniature lead denizens - but must plan my painting very carefully to get the most of time spent. When figures became available for the Boxer Rebellion - a revelation hit me. This period is perfect for doing multiple duty, as all the armies can be used for other colonial games! I would be able to get multiple period use of the troops I painted for this period. A solution to my quandary about which period to concentrate painting on! To illustrate my point, I will show that each army can be used in engagements elsewhere with the same or very similar uniforms. USA Army troops in summer uniform can be used for Moro Wars-1900, Pershing Expedition-1916 (Pancho Villa, et. a.), and can pass for the Volunteer Cavalry of the Spanish American War-1898 or early World War I units. Army troops in winter unfirom can be used for late period winter Indian Campaigns (Nez Perce, final defeat of Sioux, etc.). Marines (without leggings on figure) can be used for army infantry in the Spanish American War-1898, or as US Cavalrymen on the plains, or the possible conflict in Moroco-1905 (Wind and the Lion?). Japan All troops can be used for Russo-Japanese War-1905, and the Sino-Japanese War-1894. Britain All troops can be used forthe late colonial period when the army began wearing khaki for colonial battles in the 2nd Afghan War-1879, 3rd Burmese War-1885, Matabele Uprising-1896, Sudan-1898, Afghanistan1897 (against the Mad Mullah), Northwest Frontier-1895 and the Boer War-1900. Russians All troops can be used for Russo-Japanese War-1905, operations against China-1895, and early World War I-1914. French Marines can be used in Dahomey-1892, Indo-China-1895, Madagascar-1895 and Morocco-1903. Chasseure d'Afrique can be used in the Franco-Prussian War-1870, and with the Legion in North Africa and Morocco-1903. Algerian Turcos can be used with the Legion in North Africa and Morocco-1903. The Annamite and Tonkinese Riflemen can both be used in Indo-China-1895. Germans Sea Battalion can be used in Africa and early World War I-1914. Infantry in soft cap can be used in Southwest Africa, Togo, Cameroons, and East Africa, against the Hottentots-1894 and 1904, and for Col. Lettow-Vorbeck's Europeans during World War I-1914 through 1918. Italians Troops in light khaki can be used for Eritrea-1882, Ethiopia-1896, and the Italo-Turkish War-1911. Portuguese Troops in khaki can also be used in Angola-1885, Mozambique-1896, and against that infamous guerilla fighter, Col. LettowVorbeck during World War I. Chinese Except for the Boxers, most troops can be used against the colonial expansion campaigns of Russia, Japan, and Germany. If you aren't too picky then they can also be used in the Opium Wars-1839 and 1860 against Britain and the storming of the Taku Forts-1860 against Britain and France. All the above troops are used in the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, and can be used for many other colonial games. The purist will most likely take issue with some of the above options, but I feel having painted figures that are acceptable to pass is more important. This period has really given me the incentive to "put paint to a brush", and I hope will inspire others. It is what I consider the ubiquitous period for us with limited painting time. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier Vol. VIII No. 5 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1989 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com