m0useanswered grow question a year ago I've seen a fast buds mexcian airline autos veg for 8 weeks on a buddies grow and when I grew it it vegged for 4. so who knows. They did hydro I did soil. Mix in enough perlite to soil and it will not have compacting issue, use liquid nutrients and it will provide the same instant feed as with a hydro medium.
go photoperiod, its not bad, they can take way more abuse, overfeeding, topping, lst and the big one, cloneing.
Can't do most of that with autos. or well you can, but it normally results in some shit yields.
I like autos, mostly outdoors to avoid the wet end of season weather that almost always equals bud rot with a photoperiod.
in doors is ok too, but you can get same results with a photoperiod that blooms fast. not talking "fast flowers" the new gimmick photoperiods, but old school photoperiod plants who where just faster at blooming with out the addition of auto flower genetics into the mix.
Good Luck!