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This original 1983 magazine advertisement introduces \'Knights of the Desert,\' a sophisticated military simulation of the North African Campaign of World War II from Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI). The ad features striking artwork that bridges historical eras, depicting medieval crusader knights on horseback alongside 20th-century British tanks rolling across the desert sands. This visual metaphor highlights the game\'s theme of a \'20th century crusade\' where players take on the roles of Field Marshal Rommel or the British commander in a high-stakes tactical battle for Alexandria. The ad prominently features the iconic red and white SSI logo and provides technical specifications for early home computer systems, including the Apple II, Atari 400/800, and TRS-80 Level II Models I & III. It captures the burgeoning \'yuppie\' and hobbyist wargaming culture of the early 1980s, emphasizing \'historical accuracy and detail\' and \'maximum playability.\' The text includes the company\'s Mountain View, California address and a call to action for their free color catalog, making it a perfect piece of vintage tech and gaming ephemera for collectors of retro computing history.Specifications:
- Brand: Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI)
- Product/Line: Knights of the Desert (Wargame Simulation)
- Item Type: Magazine Ad
- Art Style/Historical Context: 1980s Wargaming, Retro Computing, Military History
- Publication Details: 1983
- City/State/Province/Country: Mountain View, CA, USA
- Logos/Graphics: SSI Logo, Medieval Knights, WWII Tanks, Desert Landscape
- On-Piece Claims: \'SSI’s simulation of the North African Campaign of World War II\', \'A pretty classy name for a classic wargame.\'
- Substrate/Material: Paper
- Identifiers: © 1983 Strategic Simulations Inc.
