BUT they are excellent sim training.
Agree whole-heartedly.
Another thing. In marginal visibility such as heavy rain that obscures forward vision or at night, it is good airmanship to stay at or above the circling MDA and don't descend below the circling MDA until you you are aligned within the takeoff splay on final.
Aircraft have crashed into terrain because they have commenced descent on early base leg of the circling approach. Charts do not always show the position of the critical obstacle that determines the MDA.
The moment you start to descend below the published MDA whether early on base leg or early final, you are entirely responsible for your own terrain or obstacle clearance - especially at night where you cannot see the terrain below you. Daytime may be different because you can see the ground and judge your own legal terrain clearance.