Hi,
I was able to use the keyboard keys to a minimum in CM games using the free X-Mouse Button Control program to remap my mouse buttons, so for example I changed the camera movement to be like the Total War games by remaping the pressing of the mouse wheel to be like a right click of CM and remapped right click to be like pressing the space bar thus bringing the onscreen menu with a simple right click (likeCMx1) which speeds up things greatly, no need to look at the keyboard so much.
More info abouth this;
http://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm
and btw I'm looking for PBEM opponents, if interested drop me a line.