Thursday 16 February 2012

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.

19 comments:

  1. I think they are only of use or meant to be in a massed based front rank or a diorama, much better if they did lying casualties....

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  2. Yeah, I agree with TAL. They would look far better in the front ranks of base or two interspersed in amongst regular chaps.

    Darrell.

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  3. Nice figures and I concur with Fran about better being in the line.

    Christopher

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  4. Again to your usually high standards there. Love the action shot at the end of the article.

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  5. Great stuff! Love the sepia picture especially!

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  6. wow, I missed some excellent post here this week. Inspiring as I have Empress figs as well and I was discussing a Zulu project with some friends last week. Don't know yet if it makes the cut for this year but your excellent work pushes the period up the ladder.

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    1. I, for one, would love to see what you would produce for the period; a mouthwatering prospect indeed.

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  7. Nice paintjobs on them all Michael. As your wonderful picture at the end I can't help feel these figures are more for display purposes perhaps?.

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  8. There are rules which require wounded figures, The Sword and the Flame does for example but I agree that a few people sitting on the ground would have been better. That said as they hardly look "wounded" they could easily be mixed in in the middle of a unit and then you could pull them out if you needed a marker. Then you wouldn't need to paint extra wounded figures.

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    1. That certainly makes sense; and mixed into the massed ranks, perhaps in a movement tray, they would add a bit of character.

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  9. Very nice figures!! It breaks my heart to say it but I've gotta agree with Fran on this one!!

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    1. Thanks Ray, but don't worry I'm sure you'll find something else to disagree with the Big Man about in the near future. ;)

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  10. Lovely paint job on these and I like what you have done with the last picture, very atmospheric.
    I will be on the lookout at Salute for Zulu casualties but may try getting a box of Empress/Warlord plastic Zulu's and convert these if possible. I was planning on doing Zulu's 'going to ground' markers with three or four figures to each base.

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    1. Now that sounds like a brilliant idea! Can't wait to see what you come up with there.

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  11. The figures are excellent painted. The discussion about they can be used on a gaming table I let pass by. I'm not a gamer myself so I can't give advice. I would use them on a dio. :-D

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.com/

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  12. These figures are inspiring. I now have to start this period in 28mm!

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