There is a controversy about the reasons for the disaster. I was being expedient and the accuracy of my historical metaphor may be less important for the economic issues today. Nevertheless:
The quartermasters are the standard foil. However, the more accepted version today, I think, is that the trap-door breech mechanism on the Martini-Henry does not work well with the standard thin-walled brass cartridge when it gets hot. This can be fixed with modifications to the ammo. At Isandlwana there appears to have been plenty of ammo at forward positions.
