So the exe help file won't run, keeps complaining about compatibility. Running win 7 and the actual game works perfectly fine, have tried running in all the compatibility modes available but still nothing.

i don't recall ever running that program since i bought the game back in '96, and i don't think you're supposed to.

if you want to read the help file press F1 while playing the game.

The help file probably doesn't run cause it's 16bit (?) and 64-bit windows cant run those
Just read the manual GOG gives you, it should be more or less the same, maybe search for .hlp files in the installation folder