My gaming also began in the 60s.
Have to think a bit to get specific memories to the 1970s.
My first thought is how D&D just destroyed a couple of wargame clubs.
A lot of folks found Role Play to really be their thing. My memory is that Avalon Hill historical games, and then SPI's historory games had gotten people into wargaming and we're making the hobby more mainstream.
Brentanno's was a major book seller in those days. They had a branch on F street in Washington, DC that was three blocks from the White House.
A strong memory bubbled up. I was shocked to see a large display of SPI games on a gondala in the store. There were a mix of games, Sniper, Phalanx,Legion, and lots of World War II.
Before this, I only saw games in small,cramped hobby shops.
To see a major retailer devoting significant space to wargames, blocks from the White House, just seemed like the world shifted.
"These things must be done delicately-- or you hurt the spell." - The Wicked Witch of the West.
"We've got the torpedo damage temporarily shored up, the fires out and soon will have the ship back on an even keel. But I would suggest, sir, that if you have to take any more torpedoes, you take 'em on the starboard side." Pops Healy, DCA USS Lexington.
