Historically totally useless as troops, but a wonderful relief to paint after reams of khaki & off-white shades
An ideal excuse to use if you are playing Hicks Pasha and have just been slaughtered by the Mahdists
Very useful for fictional Darkest Africa & VSf etc.
A "must-have" as far as I'm concerned. Mine will be used as either the irregular troops of the various Arab/African kingdoms in my Darkest Africa or as rampaging gangs of bandits, pirates etc.