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I have uploaded the BI2 manual in pdf (not a scanned one, but an original pdf) to the site below, but it is still pending for being listed:
http://www.gamemanuals.net/

for some other tips see my post and some more in german on this forum:
http://www.battle-planet.de/pbp/pbp.php

I finally bought BI3 too, but it is a dissapointment really. It is windows based so easier to run. But the user interface is clumsy, the controls not nearly as easy as in BI2. the new units are overkill. They have been messing with the pallette so your units are colored ugly. BI2 is a masterpiece, with BI3 they managed to almost ruin it...
Also available is a opensource game in the same style: "advanced strategic command" yet it did not strike me as being very polished, and I began missing my BI2 units.

I have been looking for the BI2 scenery CD: Titan's legacy for some time too. finally managed to get me a used copy! it is a very nice addon really, patching the game slighly to run easier and faster. It adds multiplayer, 6 new units, a new campaign.

Though despite having the new campaign I somehow felt like starting with the original campaign again. These first missions (up around 6) are nice, not too difficult and fit in a few hours. I have to watch it though because these later missions are just as addictive but actually a bit too time consuming.

[Turbo Beholder]

Originally Posted by Gerwin

Also available is a opensource game in the same style: "advanced strategic command" yet it did not strike me as being very polished, and I began missing my BI2 units.

This depends on what exactly you are playing, doesn't it?
ASC got more than one ruleset.
Also, it obviously doesn't contain copyrighted BI data as such, since it's FLOSS, but can import on the fly BI data (art and scenario) you have and enable BI rules (more relaxed resources-wise). The compatible unit set you may need is mk4 (it got "Demon" infantry unit and so on).
The maps also can be converted with two clicks in map editor using .ascmapxlat files (which is a bunch of resource ID substitution lists in plain text) into default resources with Mk1 unit set (native ASC campaign), Mk3 (the one trying to be slightly more "realistic") or your own custom resources (which you may neatly pack in a single whatever.ascdat file if you want to).