Zulu Timeline Ideas?

I'm thinking of writing a Zulu timeline over my spring break, which is next week. Any ideas for a good POD? I'm thinking a POD regarding Shaka's survival, but I feel like that's been done already. I could also do some regarding Dingiswayo, his predecessor, but the historical details of that period are extremely sketchy. Any ideas from the board?
 

Dorozhand

Banned
Anglo-Zulu War PoD:
Instead of attacking Kambula, the large Zulu army (now armed with captured British rifles) marches on Transvaal, lures the British out into the open and inflicts another decisive defeat.
 

King Thomas

Banned
What Dorozhand said.

Also the Zulus could attack into Natal.

Or have the British realize that the Zulus are no threat and have the Zulus help the British in the Anglo-Boer war.
 
The Zulus had plenty of firearms OTL, what they lacked was a doctrine to use them - and capturing more at Isandhlwana didn't change that and wouldn't in any plausible ATL. Furthermore, any strategy that relies on repeating Isandhlwana is only likely to deliver a Gigindlovu or Ulundi instead - that combination of luck (for the Zulus) and incompetence (for the British) is not something you can rely on happening again.

How about an earlier POD, such as a different Blood River? If the Zulus can avoid a direct assault on a fortified position and instead annihilate Pretorius' commando whilst it's on the move or something, then all sorts of potentially interesting things could happen - no Republic of Natalia (thereby forcing the Boers north and away from the Zulus), no British in Natal (Durban was occupied to deny the Boers a port), possibly even a successful invasion of Swaziland, by which point Zululand is starting to look seriously large...
 
I have always liked the Zululand becomes Nepal idea - were the British Army comes to respect the fighting abilities of the Zulus and seeks to recruit a regiment/brigade of them. Swap the Kukri for an Asegai/Iklwa and you have an equally scary band of British soldiers...
 
I have always liked the Zululand becomes Nepal idea - were the British Army comes to respect the fighting abilities of the Zulus and seeks to recruit a regiment/brigade of them. Swap the Kukri for an Asegai/Iklwa and you have an equally scary band of British soldiers...
Zulu Gurkhas... there's an idea.
 
Top