I found the transition from CMx1 to CMx2 to be relatively straightforward, and have almost never needed to consult the manuals except to better understand the artillery and C&C system.
As with CMx1, the UI displays the available options for each unit.
I didn't play Panzerblitz but played the hell out of Panzerleader . I was about 12 I think, plus a lot of other AH and SPI wargames of various eras such as 3rd Reich, Up Front, Luftwaffe, Arab Israeli Wars, The Russian Front, Guns of August, Jutland, The Next War, NATO, City Fight - and Squad Leader of course! Before that it had been miniatures since the age of about 8 using Wargames Research Group rules, Angriff etc.
Of course once I found CMBO it was a revelation! The whole series still is