Redoubt Enterprises "Zulu Wars in 25mm" range available from 39 Channel View Road, Eastbourne, E. Sussex BN22 7LN UK and Miniature Service Center, 1525 Bridge #163, Yuba City, CA 95993. Figures 45p each, horses 65p at the time of writing. By a happy chance I had just revitalized my interest in the Zulu wars some weeks ago, when these figures arrived. I have just swapped a 30YW army with my old friend Alastair Jamison for about 120 Zulus and a body of Brits representing the 24th Regiment, mostly. I already had 30 or so Zulus by Abbotts Miniatures -now subsumed by Redoubt -and a smaller group of Brits by Minifigs & Abbotts. As usual Redoubt have done us punters proud with representations of practically every kind of unit that walked, or rode, Zululand at the period of the Zulu wars. I will do my usual thing by writing about all those sent, with the odd comment and then draw a page of examples. If you do not see a drawing of a casting you might like, send for samples. I can see these figures doing serious damage to my "war chest", ie my own funds. General remarks. Large 25mm. Clean modelling and very good animation and proportion -some figures are excellent in fact. Bibliography 1. "Zulu War 1879" by Ian Knight and Ian Castle. Osprey Campaign Series No. 14. 2. "The Zulu War, A Pictorial History" by Michael Barthorp. Blandford Paperbacks. 3. "The Zulu War" by Angus McBride. Osprey Men-at-Arms Series. 4. "British Forces in Zululand 1879" by Ian Knight. Osprey Elite Series. 5. "The Washing of the Spears" by Donald R. Morris. Abacus Books. LINE INFANTRY ZU1. British Line Officer Drawing Pistol. Officers tended to buy their own pistols at this time so the weapon could be an Adams or even an Augustus Egg "over and under", guaranteed to stop the wildest savage! ZU2. British Line Sergeant holding rifle and shouting. Butt grounded (Martini Henry rifle) in left hand. Right hand making a trumpet. "Look to your front! Mark your target!" etc. or even "Pvt. 'Ook! come 'ere you 'orrible, stoopid, idle man!" ZU3. British Line bugler, blowing bugle. or as buglers are known in British Line regiments, "Drummer" only cavalry or Light infantry had bugles in past times. ZU6. British Line infantry charging at full speed. Well modelled. He probably gets to the "wet" canteen before anyone. ZU9. British Infantry standing at the ready. ZU11. British Infantry kneeling firing. HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY All these are in trews of course. ZU20. HLI advancing with level rifle. Most serviceable at this angle. ZU21. HLI charging rifle at 45°. Good action pose. ZU22. HLI running. Bide a wee Seamus, I canna keep up! ZU23. HLI standing firing. A good aiming position. MOUNTED INFANTRY FIGHTING ON FOOT ZU30. MI advancing, carbine at 45°, bandolier, cord breeches. going 1/4 right, looking and turning 1/4 left -sounds funny but it's a great action pose. ZU32. MI kneeling firing, bandolier and cord breeches. Armed with MH carbine. ZU33. MI Horse holder, bandolier and cord breeches. Holding his carbine in the right hand, over the block, barrel down. Left hand posed as if holding reins. He'd have to hold 4 lots! OFFICERS FOR BRITISH REGULAR or COLONIAL IRREGULAR FORCES ZU40. Officer in braided patrol jacket and sun helmet, pointing sword. His scabbard is hooked up short and held behind him with his left hand. Pistol holster high up on his left side. ZU41. Officer in braided jacket and cap loading pistol. Reminds me of my being trained on the .38 pistol. Instructor:-"This thing kicks so much, if you really want to kill him, take it by the barrel and bash 'is brains out!" [He'd just returned from Korea]. Natural pose, ie "Shall I get the damn thing loaded before he spears me!" ZU42. Officer in braided patrol jacket and cap with rifle. Much more sensible weapon for an officer to carry. He's got a chance of hitting and looks like an OR so doesn't get picked off first! "At the ready" pose. NATAL MOUNTED POLICE AND CARABINEERS ZU50. Officer in spiked sun helmet firing pistol. Quite a portly soul this one. Evidently he has just fired, as the aim is so high -or he's bringing the pistol down into the aim to counteract the kick. ZU51. Trooper in spiked sun helmet standing ready with carbine. Looks like a Martini Henry, barrel in the air, ready but safe. Clean details, but right arm is rather short. BOERS AND OTHER IRREGULAR UNITS ZU70. Boer advancing crouching, bandolier, slouch hat. An excellent pose and characterful head. ZU72. Boer standing firing, bandolier, slouch hat. Hat at the back of his head, sleeves rolled up, he also wears a shooting weskit with ammo loops on the front in two tiers. Lee Van Cleef type visage. FRONTIER LIGHT HORSE ZU60. Trooper in braided jacket and slouch hat advancing with carbine. Left foot just passing right. Corded breeches, bandolier, boots and spurs.  CAVALRY No number because no base but I would say from the uniform details ZUR6. 17th Lancer officer with sword. Frogged tunic and crossbelt, separate arm (Austrian knot on sleeve) with sword. Riding ZX1R. Brit. Cavalry horse galloping. Good action pose. ZUKR. Mounted Boer with slouch hat and bandoliers riding on ZX20. Irregular/Boer horse galloping. I le fits well on his steed. Riding long. Quite a vignette on its own. Waterhottle and slung carbine. ZULUS ZU 100. Zulu standing firing rifle in British jacket. A good pose -a tentative aim fearful of the M I lenry's kick! ZU 102. Zulu kneeling firing rifle in British Jacket. Half crouching rather than kneeling. A very unstable platform from which to send a bullet to anybody. Good pose. Extras for ZULU RANGE ZX2. Ten Zulus without headrings (unmarried regt.). Upper bodies and legs separate, shields, knobkerries and xklwa also separate. Be your own Dr. Frankenstein and create 10 fierce Zulus! All the bits fit too. ZX3. Five dead and wounded Zulus. Well modelled. Good for morale markers or dioramas. 3 lying down, 1 sinking to the ground, the last just hit. ZX5. Zulu Induna waving shield and assegai (or xklwa). Noble face - cows tails all over. Separate shield and assegai. Commanding figure. ZX7. Zulu boy walking with bedmats and water gourd. Trotting on. 2 mats, 2 gourds. Great for added 'colour'. Udibi boy. ZX9. Zulu in full dress advancing with assegai shield up. Separate assegai and shield. A real dandy. uThulwana regt? ZX 13. Zulu mounted on horse, pointing. I have one photograph of a Zulu on a horse. This is ZX13. The figure quite correctly has his thighs straight down for maximum grip as he has no saddle. He could be a General, status suggested by a single crane feather. Pr'aps Prince Dabulamanzi KaMpande who commanded the uNdi corps at Rorke's Drift? ZX 14. British soldier dragging ammo box. Separate left arm holding rifle at the trail. A good representation of the box with its two copper bands and central lid. Good pose. ZX 16. Carahineer/Natal Police firing from behind a dead horse. A good vignette. Some mounted regts. trained their horses to lie down to act in this way. This model horse is definitely dead. You may pose your man as you wish. And now (did anyone say "At last!") some drawings. I drew those that appeal to me. Back to MWAN #67 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1994 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com