Yeah, do what funked said. Likewise, I advise you download and follow the grafenwohr tutorial. The darn thing is cool; I don't have much patience for the really big missions. Actually, truth be told, I'm a big fan of infantry and artillery-- maybe a few tanks, but they just tend to make a mess of things.
Coordinating an attack in CM is the closest I've seen a game come to the reality of command in an AH scenario.

and yeah, PBEM is the coolest. I love watching the other guy put together a push towards an objective, then turn tail once the rockets start splashing.
one of these days I should get CMBB.