Riflemen in Mahdist units (c.1885)?

[olicana]

I've looked through my books and done a few searches but can't find a definitive answer to the following question regarding Mahdist units:

Did the Mahdists always hive off their riflemen into units separate to their sword and spear units?

I'm not asking because I want to know if Mahdist 'shock troops' had any firepower potential (I'm sure they didn't, in the round), but rather to know if I should mix a few rifle armed men into the 'sword and spear' units for aesthetic reasons. My 'shock' units will be around 33 figures strong and I thought a few rifle armed men mixed in on a few bases might give them a nice look but, if they were generally hived off it would look wrong so I won't.

What would you do?

I've spent two years looking into this period and last November I bought most of the collection but silly questions like this mean I haven't painted a single figure yet.

I have decided (finally) on basing and the first batch arrived from War Bases today. The British will be on 50mm squares (6 figs per) with either 6 or 8 bases per unit (600 or 800 men units, scaled 100 men per base).

I like the look of Mahdists irregularly based on round bases (you don't see regimented square base edges so much) so they look like fairly tightly packed irregular swarms of men. The Mahdists 'shock' units will be on 50mm round bases with either 5 or 6 figures per base (50%/50%) with no fixed unit size as yet (thinking 6 bases each - 600 men- on average). Rifle only units will also be based on 50mm round bases, probably 3 per base.

Nearly there, itching to start on this Perry order:

[Deedles]

I have most if my rifleman based in 4 or 5’s on an irregular base . I have some rifleman in with my other bigger units , but just to mix up the figure distribution

[olicana]

Thanks Deedles. I think you are right, rifle units with more widely dispersed figures than sword/spear units.

I wish I could paint detail with a brush that size.

[Harry Faversham]

I wish I could paint detail with a brush that size.

Simples, D's been watching Bob's Joy of Painting!