Thank you for your welcome, gentlemen.
I can struggle through something written in Italian. My wife is originally from Pescara & my daughter, born here in Australia, learns Italian & speaks it very properly so I have two translaters who can help. Though they regard my hobby with ...amusement (particularly the teenager).
My chief interest is Napoleonics but I have Punic War & World War Two collections as well.
The wargaming & collecting scene here is relatively small, especially compared to Britain.
I've wondered about this & think it may be connected to weather: We have very little what you'd call winter. So people live a very outdoor life & are not inclined to sit inside & paint & game.
However, Italy's weather does contradict this beautiful theory.
donald