My latest regiment completes the Zulu Reserve at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift.  At that battle this married regiment was brigaded with the following Zulu regiments:

iNdluyengwe (“The Leopard’s Lair”) – Unmarried regiment.

inDlondlo (“Black Mamba”) – Married regiment.

Uthulwana (“The Dust Raisers”) – Married regiment.

Having not been committed to the main battle, these are they units that made their way to and attacked Rorke’s Drift.

Love the pot bellied commander.

In my last order from Black Tree had one figure broken off at the ankle. Decided to use him as a casualty figure rather than repair him.

I now have a single solitary Zulu figure left to paint – a Zulu boy herding cattle. I have completed ten 36 figure units which I am pretty happy with, on the whole. If I had my time again I would probably not have based them individually but having had a few games, the sabot bases have presented no real issues. I did find that a tiny bit of Blu-Tac helps.

Time to return to Napoleonics or perhaps some fantasy stuff – not sure yet.

Over Easter I had friends coming up to stay at the Woolshed and I wanted to host a Zulu War game. I had already painted two more Zulu regiments this month and wanted to knock off a third. This regiment of thirty-six figures took me two days. I had got them assembled and undercoated black on the weekend before Easter. Started them on Tuesday and finished them Wednesday evening – based and ready to go.

uVe “The Fly Catchers”

One of the youngest regiments in action during the war. uVe were formed in 1875. At Isandlwana they were in the left horn that was engaged by Durnford’s cavalry and were part of the group that rolled up the British line.  Farnsworth says that they may have been equipped with smaller umBumuluzo training shields rather than full sized war shield. I don’t have any shields that small so my uVe have full sized ones.  I do like the mixed shields in this unit.

Once again these are Black Tree Designs. I have one solitary married regiment left to paint, and that will leave me with ten completed Zulu Regiments. I guess I will wait until BTD has another sale or I find more second hand.

My Napoleonic armies tend towards being represented as wearing  campaign dress.  I like the somewhat ragged look and non-uniform uniform look if you will.  But I do have a few units in Full Dress.

Same goes for my Zulu Army. I had to have at least one unit wearing parade dress, if for no other reason than they were on sale at 50% off!  Black Tree Design have a couple of sets of troops representing the uThulwana Regiment. The eight figure poses give enough variety even in a large thirty-six figure unit as I have used them for.  These figures could easily be used for any senior regiment in parade dress.

uThulwana were in the reserve at Isandlwana and for the most part saw no action in that battle. It later took part in the unsuccessful attack on Rorke’s Drift.

uThulwana was raised in 1850, it’s ranks filled with mature married men in their middle age.  The regiment boasted some famous former recruits, with both Prince Cetshwayo and his brother Prince Mbuyazi having served in it’s ranks before they fought a civil war to decide who took the throne.  I am guessing that Prince Mbuyazi’s name wasn’t mentioned too many times at regimental dinners and reunions after 1856.

Various sources have uThulwana shields as white with some small red patches.