Thanks for the reply.  There is a Quick Save, though it doesn't always seem to work: <ctrl-S>

I FINALLY found that <esc> brings up the menu that you describe, which acts a lot like the GCII save/load menu. 

Odd that this incredibly basic stuff is NOT mentioned in the pitiful "Manual".  And I couldn't find it anywhere immediately accessible on the Wiki, though I'm sure it's in there somewhere.

Thanks, Admiral.  I replaced my video card and suddenly had an urge to play GCIII, partly as a stress test, and partly because I finished the biggest part of my work on maiden's Future Worlds mod for GCII.  (It's really good.) 

Surprising how much of GCIII is non-intuitive, even for one as familiar as I with GCII.  I still miss keypad movement.