Libyan Bedouin are a type of militia in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
These militia troops are an ideal garrison force, and can help maintain public order in desert regions.
Because they lack the status and training of other Ottoman units, Libyan Bedouins are not always as reliable in battle as they might be. They are effective against other militia units, and against rebellious civilians, but should not be expected to last for long against regular army units. On the battlefield, a cynical commander could employ them as a distraction, or to shield his more valuable soldiers.
The Bedouin were a desert people, toughened by life in the desert; a life on the move bred men who did not need much to survive. Yet they were also known to avoid bloodshed if they could, at least among themselves. Feuding was costly, in both time and blood, and a wise man knew that it was better to talk than to reach for the knife. This same attitude was not always extended to outsiders: raiding and theft from non-Bedouin were honourable ways to support a family.
General Information[]
Libyan Bedouin are versatile troops in the Egypt Campaign. They are the cheapest, most effective form of adding repression to unhappy regions, and are some of the only infantry available to the French that are resistant to heat fatigue (and therefore immune to heat-based attrition). Despite these advantages, however, Libyan Bedouin have poor stats (particularly in melee combat), and don't fare well unless adequately supported.
Palestinian Auxiliaries are similar to the Libyan Bedouin, but may only be trained in Palestine, have better reloading, morale, and melee skills, and are somewhat more expensive to recruit. As France begins the campaign in Northern Egypt, it gains access to Libyan Bedouin first.
In custom battles, Libyan Bedouin are available to just the Ottoman Empire. As one of several militia types the Ottomans can field, Libyan Bedouin are significantly better and more expensive than Peasant Levy, but are somewhat inferior to (but also cheaper than) Palestinian Auxiliaries. Like all militia, their killing potential is low and they rout easily. They are best used as shields for more valuable units, or to delay and distract while other units get into better positions.