Black Powder Epic Battles Zulu War: Complete Product Overview
Which Black Powder Epic Battles: Zulu! set should you buy? Choose Rorke's Drift for a mission-station defence built around buildings and barricades. Choose Isandlwana for a larger Zulu force, British-led mounted troops, artillery, and an open-battlefield project. Both product listings include the Anglo-Zulu War rulebook, a how-to-play booklet, forces for both sides, terrain, an A0 battlemat, and dice.
This guide compares the two battle sets and the supporting brigade and casualty-marker products listed at Tistaminis. The recommendation is simple: buy one battle set first, learn its scenario, and expand the part of the collection you actually want to use. Check the linked product pages for current pricing, availability, and ordering status.
What is Black Powder Epic Battles: Zulu!?
Warlord Games' range recreates battles of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 using its smaller Epic Battles miniature format. The appeal is the spectacle of formations: British regulars, African troops serving with British-led forces, mounted contingents, and massed Zulu warriors sharing a historical battlefield.
The setting concerns the British invasion of the independent Zulu Kingdom, not a conflict between two interchangeable armies. Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift offer contrasting scenarios from the same campaign. Treat the historical background as context for the game, and use the scenario rules rather than assuming that historical numbers translate directly into tabletop units.
Rorke's Drift vs Isandlwana at a glance
| Feature | Rorke's Drift | Isandlwana |
|---|---|---|
| Project focus | Mission buildings and defensive perimeter | Open battlefield, camp terrain, and varied troop types |
| British infantry bases | 32 | 24 |
| Natal Native Contingent infantry bases | 16 | 24 |
| Zulu infantry bases | 80: 40 married and 40 unmarried | 160: 80 married and 80 unmarried |
| Mounted and dismounted troops | Not listed in the contents | Included for two colonial troop groupings |
| Artillery | Not listed in the contents | Two 7-pounder RML cannon and one Hales Rocket Launcher |
| Distinctive extras | 13 character miniatures, hospital, storehouse, barricades | Bell tents, Zulu huts, and wagons |
| Our pick for | Terrain builders and defensive-scenario enthusiasts | Collectors who want massed formations and more troop variety |
Read the counts carefully: bases are not individual figures. Unit sizes also differ between the listed scenarios. For example, the Rorke's Drift listing describes its 32 British infantry bases as eight units, while Isandlwana lists 24 bases as eight units. More bases do not automatically mean more units or a stronger force.
Rorke's Drift: the terrain-led battle project
The Rorke's Drift battle set centres on the mission station and its improvised defences. It is our recommendation if the setting itself is what draws you in: buildings, barricades, and a clearly recognizable battlefield give the collection a strong visual identity.
Listed box contents
- Black Powder Epic Battles: The Anglo-Zulu War A5 rulebook and Zulu How to Play booklet.
- 13 Warlord Resin Rorke's Drift character miniatures.
- 32 bases of British infantry, listed as eight units.
- 16 bases of Natal Native Contingent infantry, listed as four units.
- 40 bases each of married and unmarried Zulu warriors, listed as ten Large units of each.
- MDF hospital and storehouse.
- Resin mealie-bag redoubt, wagon barricade, cookhouse, storehouse steps, privy, and barricades.
- Full-colour A0 double-sided battlemat, punchboard kraal walls, damage markers, six six-sided dice, and plastic/MDF bases.
Why choose it? The terrain is part of the project rather than an afterthought. You can build a cohesive mission-station scene alongside the forces. The trade-off is a mixed-material hobby workload: buildings and defensive pieces need attention as well as the troops. A more contained historical setting does not necessarily mean less assembly or painting.
Isandlwana: the mass-battle collection
The Isandlwana battle set is our pick when the main attraction is commanding large formations. It includes twice as many Zulu infantry bases as Rorke's Drift, together with mounted and dismounted troops and artillery.
Listed box contents
- Black Powder Epic Battles: The Anglo-Zulu War A5 rulebook and Zulu How to Play booklet.
- 24 bases of British infantry, listed as eight units.
- 24 bases of Natal Native Contingent infantry, listed as six units.
- Three mounted and four dismounted bases of Natal Native Contingent cavalry.
- Three mounted and four dismounted bases of Natal Mounted Police/Carbineers.
- 80 bases each of married and unmarried Zulu warriors, listed as 20 units of each.
- Two resin British 7-pounder RML cannon and one resin Hales Rocket Launcher.
- Four resin British bell tents, one large and three small resin Zulu huts, and four resin wagons.
- Full-colour A0 double-sided battlemat, six six-sided dice, and plastic bases.
Why choose it? You get a broad starting collection with several different troop types and a substantial Zulu painting project. Choose it because you want that variety and scale, not because you assume the larger figure count makes it the easier introduction.
Expansion guide: what each supporting product adds
British Army Brigade: more infantry
The British Army Brigade contains eight bases of British infantry and eight bases of Natal Native Contingent infantry, with plastic bases included. The listing describes four Large units in total, two of each troop type. Choose this when you specifically need more infantry for a planned scenario or collection.
Zulu Impi Brigade: expand the Zulu formations
The Zulu Impi Brigade contains 12 bases of married and 12 bases of unmarried Zulu warriors, with plastic bases included. That is 24 bases, listed as six Large units. It is the straightforward reinforcement option for a Zulu-focused collection.
British Army Cavalry Brigade: mounted and dismounted models
The British Army Cavalry Brigade contains 28 bases: six mounted and eight dismounted Natal Native Contingent bases, plus six mounted and eight dismounted Natal Mounted Police/Carbineers bases.
The product listing groups these as six Small mounted units and eight Small dismounted units. Do not treat every mounted and dismounted representation as a separate force to field simultaneously without checking the rules and scenario. Buy this set for the troop options you want to represent, not simply to maximize a unit count.
Casualty markers: finishing touches rather than core forces
The British Army Casualty Markers and Zulu Impi Casualty Markers each contain 18 Warlord Resin markers. They add thematic battlefield detail and can help represent damage alongside your normal tracking method. Follow the rulebook for what must be recorded; the sculpted markers are not a substitute for understanding those rules.
What else do you need before your first game?
The battle sets provide the listed gaming components, but a miniatures project still needs preparation. Plan for suitable assembly tools and adhesives, primer, paints, brushes, and basing supplies. Follow the manufacturer's guidance for each material rather than using the same adhesive indiscriminately on plastic, resin, and MDF.
Read the scenario setup before arranging the battlefield. The included mat is A0, but that alone does not establish the recommended playing area for every scenario. Allow room for movement, reference material, dice, and unit tracking.
A manageable hobby approach is to finish a small batch of each force first, test your colours and basing, then repeat the process. For British troops, prioritize readable uniform contrasts. For Zulu formations, use researched shield patterns and consistent basing to distinguish groups without making every figure a separate painting project.
Recommended buying order
- Choose one battle set. Rorke's Drift for the mission-station project; Isandlwana for massed formations and troop variety.
- Read and play the included scenario. Find out which formations and battlefield features you enjoy before expanding.
- Add a brigade to meet a specific need. British infantry, Zulu formations, or mounted/dismounted troop options.
- Add casualty markers and extra scenery last. Finish the core forces before increasing the accessory workload.
Buying both battle sets makes more sense for a collector who wants both historical settings than for someone simply seeking a first game. Both include rules, dice, and a mat, so decide whether the different forces and terrain justify the overlap for your project.
Frequently asked questions
Do both battle sets include rules and both armies?
Yes. Both Tistaminis listings include the Anglo-Zulu War A5 rulebook, a how-to-play booklet, British-led and Zulu forces, terrain, a battlemat, and dice. Brigade and marker products are expansions, not equivalent starter packages.
Which box has more Zulu warriors?
Isandlwana lists 160 Zulu infantry bases, compared with 80 in Rorke's Drift. These are base counts, not individual miniature counts.
Can I mix these with standard 28mm Black Powder models?
Do not assume visual scale or basing compatibility. These products belong to the Epic Battles range rather than a conventional 28mm collection. Check dimensions, basing, and the rules before planning a mixed-range army.
Is Rorke's Drift automatically the best beginner choice?
Only if its defensive setting and terrain appeal to you. It is our scenario-focused recommendation, not a claim that it has fewer rules or less hobby work. Isandlwana can be the better first purchase for someone whose main motivation is a large army project.
Do I need casualty markers to start?
They are an optional accessory purchase in this buying plan. Start with the tracking components supplied in your battle set and the rulebook's instructions; add sculpted markers when you want the visual upgrade.
Choose the battlefield you want to build
For a distinctive terrain project, start with Rorke's Drift. For the spectacle of a larger Zulu force alongside mounted troops and artillery, choose Isandlwana. Either route gives your collection a clear purpose, and leaves the brigade expansions as useful next steps rather than automatic day-one purchases.
Contents in this overview are based on the linked Tistaminis product listings. Consult each product page for current price, ordering status, and contents before purchasing.