Sunday 22 September 2013

Zulu!

Not thousands of ‘em, I have half a dozen due to a recent impulse foray on eBay. The reason for this diversion is that as a teenager I had visions of buying several hundred Hinton Hunt Zulus in order to wargame Rorke’s Drift. Like many kids growing up in the 60’s I was influenced by the famous film and can remember going to Hounslow Odeon to see it when it first came out.

I never did buy any Zulus back then but I thought it would be nice to take a proper look at some now. This figure is listed in the Hinton Hunt Catalogue as a “Warrior of a Headring Regiment” ZWZ6 Zulu, running with stabbing spear at the ready.

The figure is a pretty basic sculpt and was relatively easy to paint compared to Napoleonic types. Individually I’m not all that impressed with this one but I would think that a whole massed Impi would be passable on the wargame table.

7 comments:

MSFoy said...

I saw these on eBay - I'm pleased they have gone to a good home. Interested by your comments on painting them - I imagine that making them look convincing is nonetheless a challenge. You must make sure to get the correct shade of cow dung for the hair dressing, for a start.

I'm keen to see where you go with this. I once bought in a large (and silly) number of boxes of plastic Zulu War figures, but chickened out and sold them. I often regret selling them, but it's only one such story among so many.

Thanks for showing these - nice.

Anonymous said...

The Zulu war is something I have always fancied doing but never got round to. No matter who makes the Zulus they will only ever look good en masse.

Stryker said...

Tony - I'll have to buy a pot of Foundry 113b Zulu Cow Dung Brown.

Matt - It's never too late, Esci make some great plastic Zulus!

Conrad Kinch said...

Nice work - you're making me feel bad about the 150 odd ESCI zulus sitting in boxes not far from where I type this.

Stryker said...

Conrad - don't feel bad just reach for that paint brush now!

lewisgunner said...

I do have HH zulus in need of finishing. They are really a bit skinny and the positios do not lend themselves to mixing, one is throwing, another stabbing , one iring a rather short rifle and another standing. Units all of the same position look too uniform , yet the mix is awkward. the best to mix with them are the Rose figures aailable from the Garrison. However, they have plumes and are really should be in units together and not all their few positions are useable. Jacklex do some, but whilst their British troops are rather good, their zulu are poor... fit only to be NNC!
As to Brits, both Rose and HH do lovely 24th foot, but only a small range. a pint difference ill give you Rifle Brigade or other redcoat regiments, but only Jacklex have the Naval Brigade and cavalry and even there you have to use Boers for Irregular Horse and that does not look quite right.
Roy

Stryker said...

Roy - I have one Jacklex Zulu that was mixed in with the lot. The figure does lack definition and is a bit smaller than HH, however en masse they might just work.