Zulu Casualties

Enjoying a little holiday period at present and managing to clear the painting table of half started projects before what promises to be a somewhat diverse couple of months - at least hobby wise anyway.  This curious group of wounded Zulus by 'Empress Miniatures' struck me as a little odd as I was painting them up;  I understand the need for casualty markers to indicate the loss of units but these of course are in the throws of shuffling off this mortal coil and seem a strange addition to any front rank of troops!  I'm sure someone will have a better handle on their possible use than I, but back to the actual figures themselves.  The usual high quality ones expects from 'Empress', although I take exception at the chap second from the left, who looks far too healthy to be included in a casualties pack!  In essence you have two married and two unmarried Zulus to bolster your numbers.

The Zulu, a hardy warrior at the best of times, was suddenly exposed to an all too devastating array of weaponry during the British invasion of 1879.  Whereas prior medical care would have consisted of washing, packing and perhaps stitching a wound they were now faced with having to deal with blast injuries from artillery pieces, rocket burns and of cause the horrific damage caused by a high velocity Martini-Henry round shattering the bone.  Not surprising then, that any serious trauma sustained on the field of battle often proved fatal to the Zulu.