The first edition of Craig Besinque's Rommel in the Desert (RitD) was published in 1982 by The Game Preserve. According to Craig Besinque, a total of 800 copies were published, and The Game Preserve published no other games.

Components include:

68 red wooden blocks for 60 Allied units, 4 battle markers and 4 blanks;
40 black wooden blocks for 34 Axis units, 4 battle markers and 2 blanks;
37 yellow wooden blocks for 33 supply markers (22 real and 11 dummy) and 4 blanks;
8 cardstock hexagonal mine markers;
12 cardstock square disruption markers;
1 White 8 1/2" x 11" assembly instruction;
1 orange 8 1/2"x 11" money back sheet;
1 yellow 8 1/2" x 6 3/4" 32 page rule book;
1 orange and black 11"x40" map;
1 plain bookcase box in slipcover; and,
1 die.

Columbia Games Inc. acquired RitD and produced the second edition in 1984, with a total of 5,000 copies. Other than changes to the rules, and the downgrading of the strength of the Italian Littorio Division, Columbia mainly put its stamp on the graphics. The map was beautifully redone in full color, the stickers for the blocks were color coded, and a new graphic image was created for the game box and rulebook. But the yellow supply blocks of the first edition were replaced by cards.

Components include:

67 red wooden blocks for 60 Allied units, 3 battle markers and 4 blanks;
40 black wooden blocks for 34 Axis units, 3 battle markers and 3 blanks;
42 cardstock supply cards (28 real and 14 dummy);
1 8 1/2" x 6" 36 page rule book;
1 full color 11 1/4" x 34 1/4" map;
1 plain bookcase box in slipcover; and,
4 dice.

First Edition

Axis Unit & Strength Unit ID

Reconnaissance 2 21/3
Reconnaissance 2 15/33
Reconnaissance 2 90/580
Armor 6 21/5
Armor 6 15/8
Armor 4 Littorio
Armor 4 Ariete
Mechanized Infantry 6 21/104
Mechanized Infantry 6 15/115
Mechanized Infantry 6 90/155
Mechanized Infantry 4 90/200
Mechanized Infantry 4 90/sv288
Mechanized Infantry 4 Trieste
Motorized Infantry 4 90/361
Motorized Infantry 4 90/55
Motorized Infantry 3 Fascisti
Motorized Infantry 3 Centauro
Unmotorized Infantry 6 164/382
Unmotorized Infantry 4 Brescia
Unmotorized Infantry 4 Pavia
Unmotorized Infantry 4 Trento
Unmotorized Infantry 4 164/125
Unmotorized Infantry 3 Bologna
Unmotorized Infantry 3 Savona
Unmotorized Infantry 2 Pistoia
Unmotorized Infantry 2 Sabratha
Paratroop 6 Ramcke
Paratroop 4 Folgore
Mobile Anti-Tank 4 88mm/B
Mobile Anti-Tank 4 88mm/A
Motorized Anti-Tank 4 76mm
Motorized Anti-Tank 4 50mm
Artillery 4 104
Artillery 2 Ital

Second Edition

Axis Unit Strength Unit ID

Reconnaissance 2 21/3
Reconnaissance 2 15/33
Reconnaissance 2 90/580
Armor 6 21/5
Armor 6 15/8
Armor 3 Littorio
Armor 4 Ariete
Mechanized Infantry 6 21/104
Mechanized Infantry 6 15/115
Mechanized Infantry 6 90/155
Mechanized Infantry 4 90/200
Mechanized Infantry 4 90/sv288
Mechanized Infantry 4 Trieste
Motorized Infantry 4 90/361
Motorized Infantry 4 90/55
Motorized Infantry 3 Fascisti
Motorized Infantry 3 Centauro
Unmotorized Infantry 6 164/382
Unmotorized Infantry 4 Brescia
Unmotorized Infantry 4 Pavia
Unmotorized Infantry 4 Trento
Unmotorized Infantry 4 164/125
Unmotorized Infantry 3 Bologna
Unmotorized Infantry 3 Savona
Unmotorized Infantry 2 Pistoia
Unniotorized Infantry 2 Sabratha
Paratroop 6 Ramcke
Paratroop 4 Folgore
Mobile Anti-Tank 4 88mm/B
Mobile Anti-Tank 4 88mm/A
Motorized Anti-Tank 4 76mm
Motorized Anti-Tank 4 50mm
Artillery 4 104
Arillery 2 Ital

Both Edition

Allied Unit & Strength Unit ID

Reconnaissance 2 7
Reconnaissance 2 SA
Armor 6 Sherman A
Armor 6 Sherman B
Armor 4 Grant
Armor 4 10/8
Armor 4 7/7
Armor 4 1AT
Armor 4 1/22
Armor 4 112
Armor 3 8/9
Armor 3 8/24
Armor 3 10/23
Armor 3 7/4
Armor 3 32AT
Armor 2 2/3
Armor2 Matilda A
Armor 2 Matilda B
Mechanized Infantry 4 2NZ/4
Mechanized Infantry 4 2NZ/5
Mechanized Infantry 4 2NZ/6
Mechanized Infantry 3 4i/7m
Mechanized Infantry 3 1/201G
Mechanized Infantry 3 22G
Mechanized Infantry 3 7/SG,
Mechanized Infantry 2 161im
Mechanized Infantry 2 4i/3m
Mechanized Infantry 2 2/SG
Mechanized Infantry 2 1 /SG
Motorized Infantry 4 5i/9
Motorized Infantry 4 FF
Motorized Infantry 4 44/131
Motorized Infantry 4 9A/24
Motorized Infantry 4 9A/26
Motorized Infantry 4 51h/152
Motorized Infantry 4 51h/154
Motorized Infantry 4 9A/20
Motorized Infantry 4 70/14
Motorized Infantry 4 1SA/2
Motorized Infantry 3 10i/21
Motorized Infantry 3 70/23
Motorized Infantry 3 4i/5
Motorized Infantry 3 4i/11
Motorized Infantry 3 1SA/1
Motorized Infantry 3 1SA/3
Motorized Infantry 3 2SA/4
Motorized Infantry 3 5i/29
Motorized Infantry 3 7A/18
Motorized Infantry 3 Pol
Motorized Infantry 2 44/132
Motorized Infantry 2 81/18
Motorized Anti-Tank 4 6lb/A
Motorized Anti-Tank 4 6lb/13
Motorized Anti-Tank 3 2lb
Artillery 4 B
Artillery 4 C
Artillery 3 D
Artillery 2 A
Artillery 2 Tab
Self Propelled Artillery 2 Prie/A

Rommel in the Desert

Rommel in the Desert: Game Review
Rommel in the Desert: Devil's Advocate (Rebuttal)
Rommel in the Desert: Component Manifest
Rommel in the Desert: Collector's Value