Hey @Andrew John Melvill
I think we all went through the same confusion at one time. There are so many options. The good thing is you can do this project incrementally. There is a difference between leading a Fewbie Plus at night versus joining/supporting a night drive, or just navigate at night to go camping.
Which type of lights?
You will generally see two types of lights: Spot and Flood. A spotlight focuses straight up ahead with a narrow beam, which is good for long visibility up ahead, but unfortunately these are narrow. A flood light achieves a more broad/wider view which is great for desert driving and navigation at lower speeds. The good thing is that many light bars are "combo" so they consist of a spot and flood light section inside.
My personal preference is flood lights, as i don't need to see 500m up ahead but rather a wide view of what's happening around me (dune shapes and formations, vegetation, animals, etc..)
Mounting and location
Mounting on the front bumper is an easy option, but if you find yourself regularly in a ditch somewhere they might get damaged. Be careful not to block the front grille too much as this might affect your cooling.
Side-shooters are great as flood lights. You can aim them exactly to get a nice lateral view.
I would recommend the following:
* Phase one: get some good quality bonnet mounted ditch lights only (auxbeam is indeed great, agree with Luke). Hella, Capra are also good.
* Phase two: get a Led bar in the front or a double round spot light setup.
* Phase three: lights in the rear. Requires a bit longer wiring which can be a bit of a hassle. Nice to have but not critical.
Colours
You will find white or yellow ones. White is generally brighter but Yellow is much better for dusty/sandy driving conditions.
Installation
If you have the time, definitely do it yourself. If you purchase for example the Auxbeam switch panel, it really is not that difficult:
Example:
Auxbeam 6 Gang Switch Panel BC60 Universal Circuit Control Relay System Automatic Dimmable LED Switch Pod Touch Control Panel Switch Relay Box for Car Truck Pickup Boat UTV SUV-Blue, 2 Year Warranty : Amazon.ae: Automotive
This panel can also be used to control your auxiliary cooling fan
If you only plan to install side shooters, this would suffice:
Nilight - Ni -Wa 06 Led Light Bar Wiring Harness Kit - 2 Leads 12V On Off Switch Power Relay Blade Fuse For Off Road Lights Led Work Light, 2 Years Warranty: Buy Online at Best Price in UAE - Amazon.ae
Just make sure to select the wiring harness that can carry enough amps. 16 or 14AWG could be suitable for ditch lights but not for powerful models.
Feel free to share some ideas and amazon links before buying so we can help to double check.