What I did was turn down the difficulty to explorer until I got the hang of battle. It makes it easier to learn stuff when you aren't dying all the time lol.
Throw every skill, spell, and action you have at every foe. You can go back to camp anytime, and you get more than enough supplies to heal your guys.
Search every crate, sack, and box you come across. You get supplies for your camp and stuff to sell.
Don't be afraid to experiment! See that bottle of grease in your inventory? Chuck it at a mob to see what happens! You'll get the hang of everything in no time at all.