FAIRLEE — Eric Paperman of Niskayuna, N.Y., was coming up on his 13th birthday when he stumbled across an advertisement for something called Strategy and Tactics magazine. Paperman had played board game standards such as Monopoly and Risk, but this ad hinted at a whole new world of games that offered rich, historical flavor while demanding thoughtful decision-making.

When his parents asked him what he wanted for his birthday, Paperman didn’t hesitate. “Get me this,” he said.