MatrixGames is my favorite game company.
I"m currently in a War in the Pacific Campaign. January 1943... as the US, about ready to start my strategic bombing campaign against Japan (yes, the AI is what all AI's are) from the Aleuts. The "battle of Midway" turned out differently, I lost 5 US CV's, had one seriously damaged, and 2 Brit CV's were partially damaged. In return I sunk the Akagi, Shokaku, and moderately damaged the other 5 CV's the Japs had. So basically, until their CV's are repaired and mine Essex class start appearing, the Pacific War has been reduced to a "no-CV" ocean. My main strategy is that instead of Island Hopping from the South and Australia, I deicded upon the "Central and Northern" strategy, where I move across the CentPac to close off Japan, move across the Aleuts into Northern Japan. In China, I'm moving my 300k Chinese army into HongKong wich allows me to close off Formosa and the "western route" from the DEI to Japan. I"m using the Brits to march on Singapore from Burma, so that I can REALLY supply China from India, once I get that base taken and the sea lane to China open and secure.
I played all of the original Close Combats. They were the games that got me into computergaming.
I haven't played any of matrix's "updates" to the series, though.
I do have "Highway to the Reich" - awesome game if you're into "real time" company level action.
Most of Matrix's games are grog games though. They are for the wargamer, not a gamer.
I grew up on Avalon Hill. FlatTop (my favorite), Squad Leader, the Fleet Series, Guns of August, etc. etc.