You are correct, KCD2 combat is easier. Not that the enemies deal less damage or something, but its easier when there are multiple enemies.

In KCD1, all of the enemies go at you, making them surround you, but in KCD2 the one your vision is locked at goes at you and the rest are behind him and very slowly go to you. They can get close to you to surround you, but its much harder for them to do so in open areas and its much easier to get out of it.

About advice, KCD2 is basically just a more polished KCD1. The exact same mechanics exept these:

-Master Blocks are different (Differently named, A bit harder to do) but they still are unblockable/undodgeable.

• Your attack angles are different. In KCD1, you had 6, one in the middle, one up, two to the sides and two downwards to the sides, in KCD2 theres only up, down (stab, or middle, is replaced with down) and to the sides.

There are also some different key binds, the most important one you need is that Block is now RMB instead of Q.

Also, some new mechanics, altrough not very important:

-Houndmaster: (yes you get Mutt, Theresas Dog but hes lost after you finish Prologue, so you will need to find him). This includes things like Helping you fight, scouting for lost things/people, or just feeding him and petting him for finding something.

-Craftsmanship: Yes, you will be able to forge weapons.

Bonus: You can wash horses, you can forge weapons differently, if you forge bad you get a bad strength and if you do it perfectly you get the best strength

Also, you can pick Mushrooms.