Editing Impi (section)

===Weapons and shields===
[[File:Zulu warrior.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Zulu warrior armed with the ''iklwa'' stabbing spear (assegai) and ''iwisa'' club (knobkerrie). His kilt is of [[Genet (animal)|genet]] tails]]
[[File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-224-49.jpg|"Ready for War"; "A Zulu"; "Zulu Policemen" – the man pictured to the right wears the head-ring (isicoco) denoting his married status|thumb]]
Shaka is credited with introducing a new variant of the traditional weapon, demoting the long, spindly throwing spear in favour of a heavy-bladed, short-shafted stabbing spear. He is also said to have introduced a larger, heavier [[Nguni shield|cowhide shield]] (''isihlangu''), and trained his forces to thus close with the enemy in more effective hand-to-hand combat. The throwing spear was not discarded, but standardised like the stabbing implement and carried as a missile weapon, typically discharged at the foe, before close contact. These weapons changes integrated with and facilitated an aggressive mobility and tactical organisation.<ref name="Morris, 32-67"/>

As weapons, the Zulu warrior carried the ''[[iklwa]]'' stabbing spear (losing one could result in execution) and a [[Club (weapon)|club]] or cudgel fashioned from dense hardwood known in Zulu as the ''iwisa'', usually called the [[knobkerrie]] or knobkerry in English and knopkierie in [[Afrikaans]], for beating an enemy in the manner of a [[mace (bludgeon)|mace]].<ref name=":0" /> Zulu officers often carried the half-moon-shaped Zulu ax (''isizenze''), but this weapon was more of a symbol to show their rank. The iklwa – so named because of the sucking sound it made when withdrawn from a human body – with its long {{convert|25|cm}} and broad blade was an invention of Shaka that superseded the older thrown [[assegai|''ipapa'']] (so named because of the "pa-pa" sound it made as it flew through the air). The ''iklwa'' could theoretically be used both in melee and as a thrown weapon, but warriors were forbidden in Shaka's day from throwing it, which would disarm them and give their opponents something to throw back. Moreover, Shaka felt it discouraged warriors from closing into hand-to-hand combat.

Shaka's brother, and successor, [[Dingane kaSenzangakhona]] reintroduced greater use of the throwing spear, perhaps as a counter to Boer firearms.

As early as Shaka's reign small numbers of firearms, often obsolete muskets and rifles, were obtained by the Zulus from Europeans by trade. In the aftermath of the defeat of the [[British Empire|British]] at the [[Battle of Isandlwana]] in 1879, many [[Martini–Henry]] rifles were captured by the Zulus together with considerable amounts of ammunition. The advantage of this capture is debatable due to the alleged tendency of Zulu warriors to close their eyes when firing such weapons. The possession of firearms did little to change Zulu tactics, which continued to rely on a swift approach to the enemy to bring him into close combat.

All warriors carried a shield made of oxhide, which retained the hair, with a central stiffening shaft of wood, the ''mgobo''. Shields were the property of the king; they were stored in specialised structures raised off the ground for protection from vermin when not issued to the relevant regiment. The large ''isihlangu'' shield of Shaka's day was about five feet in length and was later partially replaced by the smaller ''umbumbuluzo'', a shield of identical manufacture but around three and a half feet in length. Close combat relied on co-ordinated use of the ''iklwa'' and shield. The warrior sought to get the edge of his shield behind the edge of his enemy's, so that he could pull the enemy's shield to the side, thus opening him to a thrust with the ''iklwa'' deep into the abdomen or chest.