[sublynx]

First automatic for the first few years of playing
Then manual for a couple of years
Now thinking maybe going back to automatic

It's a bit like a U-boat commander. At the beginning of his career he would be totally reliant on his trainers telling him what to next. Then he would learn everything, to be able to do everything by himself, in theory and in practices. And then as a commander, he would delegate much of the work load to his officers.