I don't know what regime you are describing in your post.
On the only 4 axis machine I have flown, the company -- and the other pilot -- would insist on 4 axis at night or in Poor IMC but I've regularly done manual climb outs to altitude, manual ILS in a variety of weather -- allbeit usually pretty good
-- and, offshore and on, will manoeuvre visually to the deck/runway from a few miles out. Plenty of opportunity for maintaining manual skills.