I be a zumba, zumba, zumba?

Today, I finally got my 360 Zulus out for an airing, against my British...

Alex and Lawrence (Welcome back!) took the British company of the 24th - I took a patrol of Frontier horse. The scenario was a small British force being detached to burn a small Kraal. Unfortunately, some of the uThalwana Ibutho regiment of Zulus is bivouacking nearby, and move to engage!

The left 'Horn' (I based all the Zulus on plastic sabot bases so they could be moved more rapidly on the table) 

The 'Chest' and 'Loins' in the Zulu centre. 

The right 'Horn' - with their Induna. 

A view from the flank. 

 A view from the British lines of the Zulu centre... 

... and the left Horn. 

The British, fortunately, had a hill to deploy on. 

My horse deployed on our left, facing the right horn. 

Lawrence was on the right, Alex in the centre. 

Unable to fire at the advancing Zulus, I advanced over the little knoll which had obscured them from me. 

The rest of my men moved to extend my line. 

The Zulus were advancing rapidly, so the left unit of horse fell back to the knoll before opening fire.

Combining their fire with Alex's British, the local levies on the Zulu right horn took a lot of casualties.

Meanwhile...
...Lawrence opened fire at long range at the left Horn. 

Despite the long range, several Zulus were hit.

Undeterred, they marched on, looking for the flank of the British position.

The Zulu Centre now advanced...

The British changed targets to the large force advancing in the centre.

This fire was rather...less effective!

Alex's men also began firing at the centre of the Zulu line.

...with some effect.

The Zulu 'chest' began to catch the 'horns', obviously not wishing to stay in the British firing zone longer than necessary!

I was feeling overwhelmed by the Zulu right...

My men dismounted and fired as the men on the knoll retreated behind them.

The Zulu local levy were stopped...

..and broke!

The British were now firing rapidly at the rapidly advancing horde!

The left 'Chest' unit took heavy casualties...

...as did the centre unit. Both units were halted by the fire.

Alex's men saw the right 'Chest' units pushing forward and changed his target to them.

The front unit was halted.

My poor horsemen were charged by the right 'Horn'.

The horse held their own...

...and skedaddled back to form line with the other half of their unit. 

As the Zulu 'Loins' closed, having passed through the halted 'Chest' units,  the British fired as fast as they could.

Many Zulu fell in the murderous fire.

Enough Zulus survived to charge home though!

The furious Zulus began breaking into the British front line, ignoring their own casualties.

Casualties mounted.

The British struggled to maintain a coherent front line... 

...The Zulu left horn now engaged, shooting down 2 of the rear line.

The frontier horse now began to ride off...

The right Horn swept them away!

Lawrence's line was getting surrounded, as casualties mounted.

The battle was over, the fresh flanking units of Zulus were about to cut the British line to pieces...

Most of the front line British units broke and ran...The slaughter began!


Perhaps we will have a few more men next time?!