old thread, yes. after the sde kupai merger, i believe it is viable again for new joiners everywhere.
most sde players know i have always used auto. my fingers are manual AND ps2,ps3 controller non-compatable. yes, even on BB6, BB6.5, and BB7s when i get there. and i have all of them. some cater more than others to auto. angle of approach, gradual firing(you can re-aim after each shot), and of course quality of gunners is all important.
you do receive a 10% penalty on auto FCS, and, i believe, 10% penalty to experience. you probably won't ever block shot. but playing and having fun is far better than constant frustration. the criticism from game nazis is laughable and easily ignored. my all time high BB score is only 147K, far lower than some 600-700K games i have seen from some game hog players. the fact is that i enjoyed and still enjoy playing!
sooo, use the system that suits you...and have fun!