Megalon Jones

I would not characterize the 1982 version as a "tutorial difficulty", it probably "normal" difficulty.  The equipment is better for the US but not overwhelming.  For example the core troops tank is the M60A1 Passive which is pretty much right in the middle of the road.  It can stand up to T64Bs if it is played right but do not get reckless.  The 1979 Campaign is a bit more challenging with the M48, which is a good little tank but T62s will definitely give it a tougher run.
My recommendation would be to try the first scenario in the '82.  IF you get a Total Victory with zero losses (careful as they stack up for later fights), maybe switch to '79.

Whoever tried Soviet training missions from scenarios knows how potent that can be if well executed (well, under ideal circumstances). Here's a short US Army educational video on  Soviet Breakthrough tactics.
I am sure there is some guy in the US Army Education branch slapping his forehead thinking "I wish I had Combat Mission Cold War" 4 decades ago.
 
 
Side question. This video, nor Soviet training scenarios, mention it but hear me out:
The Infantry company follows behind the tanks and shouldn't deploy if not forced. However, once they have to deploy to take over some key terrain, is the second wave supposed to wait or they just run over positions the first company is attacking? To complicate further, infantry company is expected to lose some vehicles so how do they follow the advance? When is the batallion supposed to reorganize?

russian artillery is really the key. It might be hard for people who only played WW2 titles, but now you finally get more than enough of artilery. So, really use it on highest firerate and maximum length you will still have 15 minutes of continuous downpour. Just make sure to have good observation spot and roll and adjust that artillery around the battlefield like it is fishing pole in a pond. It does wonders.

Wow, looks like I lost the internal betting pool.  We are 13 days released and first time someone asks this question.
Answer.  We spent days of work on this one, round and round.  So basically US mech infantry platoon still brigaded the M60s and (technically) the Dragons at the PL HQ level where they would be dolled out as the situation dictated.  This is impossible with CM so we created variation to reflect that decision and give the player flexibility in their use. 
So: 
Heavy = a bulked up squad, obviously expecting trouble.  2xM60s and the Dragon
Medium = originally we were going to only have the medium version but it was too restrictive. 
Light = 1 xM60 and no Dragon.  There were enough Dragons in the platoons and coys for one per squad but they could taken away and sent out to tank hunting teams and some squads might wind up light.  Light also does not get the extra M60.
In any standard mech infantry platoon the mix would normally be:
2 x Heavy and 1 x Med squads.  But now scenario designers can have flex in different scenarios. 

In Steel Beasts, and these guys are current and former tankers, the default is a 90 deg constant scan with 45 deg to each side of the point that the TC sets.  It can be widened and narrowed by order and SOP.  In fact, there are have been arguments from noobs about not having the constant scan.  But the experts all insisted that is an absolute part of maintaining situational awareness.
It should also be noted that more and more tech is being added to tanks to keep the TC buttoned...field phones, RWS, ITIS, etc.

C2 is quite important too. For a while now ive dedicated some part of my scenario preparation to establishing and making sure all C2 is green. Say for example I set up the recon platoon on a hill overlooking a town where ive got an infantry company set up. If the battalion commander unit isnt in the field AFAIK the intel isnt passed on from the recon platoon to say the infantry coy commander. What I do is I make sure atleast one member/vehicle of the recon platoon is within voice range of the company commander, so anything the recon spots eventually travels down the member/vehicle beside the coy CO, and then down to the infantry squads...and this sure makes a difference.

Use them EXACTLY as you would in the WW2 titles. M113's are just like the M3 halftracks... battle taxis that can become coffins.  Know that the tank isn't the undisputed champ of the battlefield, though.  Infantry now have access to ATGM's and just about anyone can carry a LAW or RPG (think about how the Germans passed out one shot Panzerfausts to as many squad members as possible from 1944 onwards.)
IFV's are slightly different in that both the BMP and the Bradley have the ability to dish it out.  They still lack the armor to shrug off some hits.
I'm highlighting this.  You have got to get flank shots.  Stick them hull down and watch out for Ivan's arty trying to blind you.  If those T72's gets past your WEZ (weapons employment zone) on the Shillelaghs you are going to have major trouble.  The 152mm shells fired by the Starship are low velocity....bad news for killing tanks.
 
....I'm doing an AAR of this battle on Youtube.  The majority of the action for the scenario is included here.  Part two is imbound and will be more or less a cleanup with general observations.

My two cents. Play close to the ground. In open terrain situations being able to distinguish terrain micro-details makes all the difference. You can use camera level 4 and higher to plot out broad maneuver paths but looking over your unit's shoulder while jockeying for a shot is useful.

Use them EXACTLY as you would in the WW2 titles. M113's are just like the M3 halftracks... battle taxis that can become coffins.  Know that the tank isn't the undisputed champ of the battlefield, though.  Infantry now have access to ATGM's and just about anyone can carry a LAW or RPG (think about how the Germans passed out one shot Panzerfausts to as many squad members as possible from 1944 onwards.)
IFV's are slightly different in that both the BMP and the Bradley have the ability to dish it out.  They still lack the armor to shrug off some hits.
I'm highlighting this.  You have got to get flank shots.  Stick them hull down and watch out for Ivan's arty trying to blind you.  If those T72's gets past your WEZ (weapons employment zone) on the Shillelaghs you are going to have major trouble.  The 152mm shells fired by the Starship are low velocity....bad news for killing tanks.
 
....I'm doing an AAR of this battle on Youtube.  The majority of the action for the scenario is included here.  Part two is imbound and will be more or less a cleanup with general observations.

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You did distressingly, unusually well in that scenario. Where are the holes through the M60A2 commander's cupolas that  I always get?😱

Great video, thanks!

I'm in the same tank with you  
only advice I can give is to, in general, position the tanks on the flanks and not in the center so they get angled shots. in 2 fahrbans scenario, perhaps one tank in some keyhole position in the center where the tank is protected with buildings. I've tried to push one m113 into the woods to the right flank but that got toasted while travelling. the rest of the infantry and their transport in the forward buildings in the center but on the cover arcs to engage any infantry. tows/laws outside of the buildings, especially to cover the road on the right flank that can't be seen from your initial position due to that woods on the right. APCs in key holes behind those advanced buildings in the center. those, as their infantry, on cover arcs (not longer than 200/300 meters) to protect the open terrain if the enemy manages to slip tank protection and gets that far.

Night fight

I fly IL2.  Even during WW2, you made one pass and dumped all ordinance on a single target whenever air defenses are present.  Anything else is a death wish.

Our Russian army guru reported back stating that no binocs at squad level is correct. In this timeframe they're reserved for officers at platoon level. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just relaying the information. 

In Soviet Russia, binoculars watch you!

All aircraft at this time should be dropping dumb ordnance in salvo.  Making multiple passes would be far less effective against the target and suicide versus air defense.

In my idillyc world, yet still grounded on reality (or so I hope ), the sequence of module release should be something like this:
1st. CMCW Mad Wargames: An extension of the base game to add the year 1983 (together with winter textures) and the Archer Able exercises, together with the inclusion of both West and East German Armies. (The soviets during that year were convinced that the Americans were about to invade them, campaigns with the americans in the offensive would be an interisting change from the usually depicted soviet invasion)
2nd. CMCW Race to the Wesser: A module depicting the push to the Wesser by the soviets. The british, belgians and dutch are included, together with the Poles.
3rd CMCW "Le Garde Sur Le Rhin" : The french are added, with campaigns depicting the defense of the Rhine by french forces in case of a effective Soviet bretrought. The rest of Warsaw Pact, together with Canada; are also added.
And with that, you have a hot war in 80s Germany mostly covered. From there, you can go wherever you want. Extend the year coverage to the early 70s or late 80s, add the southern and asian fronts, do some Alt-history scenarios, etc.

Thank you very much.  I know it is buried way in the manual but we actually started with the backstory very early in the development.  It really helped me focus on the timeframe as well as we developed the campaigns.  Of course players are welcome to come up with their own, ours was really just for the campaigns and a number of scenarios.