AHC: An Australian Isandlwana

I won't give away spoilers but I was inspired to pose this challenge after watching the movie "Quigly Down Under". So create a TL in which an analogue to the British defeat at Isandlwana by the Zulus is carried out by Australian aborigines.
 
Is it okay if it happens on a much smaller scale? Say, a dozen New South Wales Corps soldiers versus a hundred or so aborigines?

Because the Zulu Kingdom was a real kingdom, with an army in the tens of thousands. Hunter-gatherer societies just don't have that kind of manpower.
 
Might work with Maoris but not in Australia. Not unless an outside influence organises the indigenous peoples to some extent (a "man who would be King"?)
 
Is it okay if it happens on a much smaller scale? Say, a dozen New South Wales Corps soldiers versus a hundred or so aborigines?

Because the Zulu Kingdom was a real kingdom, with an army in the tens of thousands. Hunter-gatherer societies just don't have that kind of manpower.

Might work with Maoris but not in Australia. Not unless an outside influence organises the indigenous peoples to some extent (a "man who would be King"?)
Both/either sound good to me. But I want the event to have a similar effect that the OTL battle of Isandlwana had on the mindset of British power.

Also I'm not sure but did or didn't the events of the Zulu war improve the outlook that Britians had on the abilities of native Africans?
 
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More than likely. They were mostly just run off any land that was wanted, in this situation they would be seen a possible military threat that needed to be headed off as quickly and firmly as possible. Break out the Maxims boys!
 
More than likely. They were mostly just run off any land that was wanted, in this situation they would be seen a possible military threat that needed to be headed off as quickly and firmly as possible. Break out the Maxims boys!

Aye, the Zulus were at least considered something of legitimate state, and got a lot of patronising love off the British public as the ideal of the "noble savage". King Cetawayo (sic) even became a celebrity of sorts and there was a decent effort to get him his throne back post-war as a vassal of the Empire.

Here however it will probably be seen as less a traditional war and more upstart natives/sub-humans who need to be taught a lesson. Might not go well.
 
I suppose that you could use Wyndradine. He came the closest thing to providing natives an organized "military" leadership IOTL, and he did a quite good job at keeping the Europeans at bay.
 
I won't give away spoilers but I was inspired to pose this challenge after watching the movie "Quigly Down Under". So create a TL in which an analogue to the British defeat at Isandlwana by the Zulus is carried out by Australian aborigines.

Aye, the Zulus were at least considered something of legitimate state, and got a lot of patronising love off the British public as the ideal of the "noble savage". King Cetawayo (sic) even became a celebrity of sorts and there was a decent effort to get him his throne back post-war as a vassal of the Empire.

Because the Zulu Kingdom was a real kingdom, with an army in the tens of thousands. Hunter-gatherer societies just don't have that kind of manpower.
Quite. Plus the Zulu had iron.


Might work with Maoris but not in Australia. Not unless an outside influence organises the indigenous peoples to some extent (a "man who would be King"?)
The Maori might just be able to pull it off. They weren't exactly agricultural, but did have some (I'd guess they'd fall more in the Hunter-Gardner than Hunter-gatherer category), and they were a) pretty organized and pretty warlike.
 
Quite. Plus the Zulu had iron.



The Maori might just be able to pull it off. They weren't exactly agricultural, but did have some (I'd guess they'd fall more in the Hunter-Gardner than Hunter-gatherer category), and they were a) pretty organized and pretty warlike.

Yes, the Maori might do well. If the British are slower in their initial settlement (perhaps if the British lose the Battle of Plassey, and are required to spend more time and effort in the Indian subcontinent to gain control), then the Maori will have more time to stabilize following the introduction of the musket and Western crops. Without Western settlement and competition, the Maori population will expand rapidly.

It'll still be possible for the British to colonize, but you'd have created a situation with real Maori polities which are capable of fielding an army against the British, not just a raiding party.

Cheers,
Ganesha
 
I suppose that you could use Wyndradine. He came the closest thing to providing natives an organized "military" leadership IOTL, and he did a quite good job at keeping the Europeans at bay.

Thank you - I had never heard of him before. He is quite interesting!

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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