I got an idea. We may:
1. differentiate the figures by their quality (for example, we agree that black ones are 20q, while white ones are 10q);
2. modify the way the inventory objects look depending on the quality (this idea assumes some coding, q10 ant soldier becomes black and q20 becomes white etc.);
3. modify the way the inventory objects look not depending on the quality (i.e. special "chess" mode where, say, a piece of sand appears to be white knight and a piece of pour - to be black one.