Battlefield accessories are relatively few in this hobby, and most concentrate on campaigns in the more temperate parts of the world such as Europe or North America. It was a pleasant surprise then when Italeri produced this set aimed squarely at the desert.
The contents of this unusual set are as pictured, with the two tent models taking the most space on the sprue. The tent is 75mm long (excluding the poles) and 48mm wide. The front corners are 19mm high, rising to a maximum height in the middle of the tent of about 27mm, which allows an average 1/72 figure to stand straight with a little to spare. However they would need to duck to enter the tent, and also navigate around the pole that bisects the opening, which seems very obstructive to us. However we know nothing about the design of tents for the desert or anywhere else, and a search of the internet reveals a multitude of styles, so we really could not comment on the accuracy or potential time period for this model. It lacks any guy ropes of course, but we would have to say it is quite a pleasing model, although the three poles at the front do nothing to enhance the appearance.
Along with the two tents there are two fire places. These are a simple circle of stones with three sticks formed over them to hold some vessel, for example. It is a classic arrangement and so perfectly good for many situations, not necessarily just in the desert. The well, however, is rather more specific to North Africa, and looks great. With a well about 25mm in diameter and the framework supporting the bag used to draw the water, this is a very satisfying model.
As you would expect from Italeri, the various parts that make up this set are well-sculpted, crisply moulded, and fit together well. At first we held a different opinion as we struggled to put the fire together - a ridiculous situation as it only has four pieces, but when we realised that the instructions on the box were wrong and had swapped parts 3, 4 and 5 with parts 7, 8 and 9, everything suddenly made sense. Once that was resolved we found ourselves with some charming little models that should look great in many a diorama. A nice product from Italeri that offers something different and interesting for those looking for a new project.