I never felt it was really automated. Of anything, the gambits are there to break down micro-management of your party (status afflictions and buffing). But I enjoyed building complex strategies to take out bosses and marks.

I actually looked forward to being killed cause I could learn from the situation and build even nastier strategies that wipe the floor with the creatures. If you don't really use the gambits then I feel you're are losing out on half of the games system. But to each there own.