1. You don't need HLCC.
HLCC is just a different GUI interface with some great options. ZHLTGUI v9 is also out there also.
2. It might not be faster on your machine.
3. You can use all the same compile switches from ZHLT with Hammer Expert, that you can with HLCC or a .bat file.
Sorry Anthony, but them's the facts.
I have tested the compile time on all the above, it isn't any drastically faster with any method... it depends on the resources you machine is using at the time.
Batch is faster if you start your machine from the command prompt, but we are talking a few minutes for a big map....
If you use the same switches, it doesn't matter what you use, the map ends up the same.
If you have a problem with the tutorial that Seventh mentioned, let us know.