Using Combat Trim or the auto-trim modes to control your trim surfaces is no more "gamey" than using a very expensive HOTAS setup and mapping manual trim to hat switches or wheels. Flying should be about ACM and primary flight controls, not flying the plane with the trim controls. Combat Trim and the auto-trim modes even the odds a bit for those of us that do not have high end control setups, though they are still not as effective as a killer control setup and manual trim in some situations.
Combat Trim is for everybody in the game. It's a simple tool that everyone should understand, even if they want to disable it. Fly the airplane with the flight controls, not the trim tabs. Combat Trim is a usefull tool and it has it's place in the game. Manual trim is important too in some situations, but simply disabling CT completely is silly, there are times when it is useful and it can be disabled and enabled quickly and easily.
Regardless of what the intent of any of these trim features was, the fact is they are part of the game. Understanding how they all work and when to use them is important, even if you decide to disable them. If not using certain features makes you feel more manly or something, fine, but don't look down on others for using the tools that are available to the best of their ability.
There is a point to be made about CT and how it affects your "feeling of flight" though. I do think that feeling the trim balance change as your speed changes contributes to the "feel" of the FM for many folks. I think I'll add some stuff about that in the CT section.
