My friend explains every possible strategy before I can take my first turn

I asked how to recruit a soldier. My friend opened three menus and began explaining why cavalry becomes inefficient in the middle game. By the time he returned to the recruit button, I'd forgotten which menu it was in.

He's introducing me to his favorite strategy game. He's excited, patient and far more knowledgeable than I am. I want to learn. I don't want to need the whole future campaign in my head before deciding what to do this turn.

When I said "just tell me the button," he went quiet and said he didn't want me to make a choice I'd regret later. That was kind, but I would rather make a recoverable mistake than sit through another fifteen-minute explanation without touching anything.

How do I ask for smaller answers without making him feel his expertise is unwelcome? We're playing a practice match, so losing would cost an evening, not a tournament place. At the moment I'm spending that evening preparing to begin.