At 62, I have socks and underwear older than most of you tykes... Started with Avalon Hill board games in the 1960's and bought my first computer in '84 (a Mac) and PC in '88. TBS games were abundant then. The good old days. Crude graphics, but lots of new ideas and energy.
*bows head in respect of greater age*
I too cut my teeth on Avalon Hill boardgames. Blitzkrieg, 1914 (a horrible game but still fun), tactics II, Anzio, Le Mans, Management, etc.
I was lucky that a friend's older brother had almost every one of their games, and I could borrow those I didn't own.
Squad Leader then ASL are the penultimate.
Such as sad fate for such a great game company, tho their current 'owners' aren't bad.
The General was a great magazine, I kept my subscription for many many years.