Who recalls the noontide and the funerals through the market,
(Blanket-hidden bodies, flagless, followed by the flies?)
And the footsore firing-party, and the dust and stench and staleness,
And the faces of the Sisters and the glory in their eyes?

(Bold behind the battle, in the open camp all-hallowed,
Patient, wise, and mirthful in the ringed and reeking town,
endured unresting till they rested from their labours -
Little wasted bodies, ah, so light to lower down!)

Yet their graves are scattered and their names are clean forgotten,
Earth shall not remember, but the Waiting Angel knows
who died at Uitvlugt when the plague was on the city -
Her that fell at Simon's Town' in service on our foes.

-- Excerpt from Dirge of Dead Sisters For the Nurses Who Died in the South African War by Rudyard Kipling, 1902

Great job, HMGS Great Lakes and especially the gang at The Colby Street Irregulars. Another Drums Along the Maumee has come and gone, and even though the attendance may have been less than anticipated, a good time was had by all who attended. Perhaps next year other cons can learn to read a calendar! There's only so many gamers and money to go around here in the Midwest at one time!

In all my years of gaming, only recently did I experience a gamer with a true blood lust. Actually, it was a comical thing to witness. When you first meet Tom Briggs, another member of 5 Guys and a Lawyer, he comes across as a quiet, reserved, rather conservative individual. Tall, thin and clean cut, he can remind you of a grown up version of Howdy Doody without the strings! Well read, and up to date on current issues, he'll give you his opinion if you ask for it. But beware the impish grin that he wields like a dagger hidden beneath a Bedouins cloak. If you're facing him on a game table and that grin shows itself, then it's just a matter of counting your dead! A recent Boxer Rebellion game demonstrated just how much of a killer instinct lurks below the surface!

The situation was this: A detachment of U.S. Marines was garrisoned in the port of Po Chow. The recent Boxer uprising had made movement in the countryside dangerous to say the least. The Imperial Chinese general commanding the forts at the entrance to the harbor decided to throw his lot in with the Boxers without orders form Peking and the Imperial Court. This decision effectively sealed the harbor from any inbound and outbound shipping. The U.S. garrison, being positioned at the far end of the harbor, was effectively cut off. The Allies' objective was to cut their way into the harbor and evacuate the Marines. Now, I could go on here about the great game that it was. And how the umpire, Dan Grna, continually gave me the perpetual screwing over, but we don't have room here for that! Just kidding Dan (sort of...).

Anyway, during this scenario, the Marines were beset upon by a horde of at least 500 Boxers (we play 1:1 in 25mm by the way). The Marines had 30 infantrymen and a Colt Machine gun in a semi-fortified position. Well, at first all went well for the Marines. After slaughtering about 150 Boxers without a single loss, that grin began to show itself. At 200 dead without loss it was a the broadest smile one could imagine! And then it happened. Around the 300 Boxer dead level, the Marines lost their first man! Well, the result of this was a torrent of curses and cussing the likes of which haven't been uttered since the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series! I mean it was only one figure! You'd think it was his whole command that was lost! Well to make a long story short, the Marines got out with only a few men but Tom still maintains that it was all because of the loss of that first figure!

This issue I wanted to include a listing for period movies. I'm not going to comment on the quality or juxtaposition of this or that. You can judge or yourself. I recently have started to greatly increase my collection of movies and I use two sources for this. First off: E-Bay (enough said on that as the site speaks for itself). Secondly, I use Belle and Blade. A little pricey compared to E-Bay, most times, but the titles are available here and now!

(Editor's Note: Gordon included other information with these titles that my computer didn't translate, showing up as random letters. I apologize to you and him for failing to include it, or realize it in time to correct the problem).

Wind and the Lion (1972)
The Light That Failed(1939)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Gunga Din (1939)
Soldiers Three (1951)
King of the Khyber Rifles (1953)
The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)
Kim (1950)
Wee Willie Winkie (1937)
Black Narcissus (1946)
Flame over India Alternate title: Northwest Frontier (1959)
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

Lot's to watch and enjoy. My suggestion? Do it while you're painting. Maybe they'll inspire you, as they have for me, to pickup the Colonial Period in gaming.