I've got a stack of woodwork to gloss paint over the next week (mostly bare
wood, but some already painted) and given the plethora of 'systems' out
there, I would be interested to hear what painting regimes people use and
why...

eg:
Primer + undercoat + gloss
Primer + self-undercoating gloss (two coats?)
Self-priming undercoat (two coats) + gloss
Primer + one-coat gloss
etc etc...

Then, acrylic or solvent based?

I'm aiming for the best and most durable finish within the quickest possible
time (ie fewest number of coats!)

Thanks
David