Keith, it sounds like completing one of the S&D shots (sparky,snake,gravemarker in any order on a red-marked shot, then flashing captive ball), and then continuously hitting that completed S&D shot will get ciu lit quickly:
1. Mark right ramp with red arrow by hitting it
2. hit sparky,snake,gravemarker in any order and then flashing captive ball
3. Keep hitting right ramp over and over (shoot right ramp, bump over to left flipper - repeat) since all inserts are lit on a completed S&D shot except coffin

I haven't played 1.5 so just asking if this will work for quick CIU progression ?

Good to know, thanks. Might as well try the super skill shot first, and if the right ramp is lit that is great. Otherwise just get the S&D right ramp shot completed so that you can keep hitting the right ramp over and over to get the requisite 15 shots for everything but Coffin.

With such a fun game, you will painlessly get your live catch skill locked in; it won't even feel like practice.

Here is a beeline v1.5 strat (confirmed) to get CIU qualified at the scoop asap:
1) If you don't get super skill shot on right ramp, then mark right ramp by shooting it.
2) Hit sparky and snake in either order and then gravemarker drop target (if you hit gravemarker first it becomes the marked shot)
3) Hit right ramp and then nail the flashing captive ball
4) All three inserts are now lit on the right ramp.
5) Alternate hitting right ramp and lit snake head for snake letter until snake is flashing to start snake multiball
6) start snake multiball and go to town on captive ball. You can also try to get add-a-ball and knock down gravemarker targets once you hit the captive ball 15 times so that gravemarker is one hit away from being qualified when you exit snake (gravemarker to be used to get 20 captive ball hits for 2nd CIU once first CIU played). Use the remaining mb if you have it still to then hit right ramp more until 15 right ramp shots are made (status report does show hits needed for each CIU qualifying element and playfield inserts also show if you completed a CIU qualifying element like snake,sparky,coffin or gravemarker).
7) Once you have 15 captive ball hits, hit the right ramp until CIU is lit at scoop if it isn't lit upon exiting mb.

You can use this strat over and over again to get the other 3 CIUs (2nd CIU takes 20 hits of each element, but as long as you didn't get S&D, the right ramp still will have all 3 inserts lit), but just keep in mind that it takes more right ramps to light light the snake head for a snake letter (2 times for next snake mb and 3 times for next, I think on factory it maxes at 3 snake inserts to light snake head for snake letter). Along the way you will start Lady Justice, but it will be less points than normal since you are just hitting the right ramp.

The multiballs are now just a tool in v1.5 to get the 15 captive ball hits (or 20/25/30 for other CIUs) more safely than in single ball play, since the various CIUs dwarf the scoring of other game elements like mb,S&D,lady justice and fuel.

Orbits also

Yes they're not too easy. I'm just saying that they count as combos too, not just ramps.

That is a very clear description you wrote. One thing I forgot to mention is the special property of the snake head:
If you hit it, non-marked shots will sometimes get snake inserts lit, unlike sparky and gravemarker which only light inserts on a marked shot.

I believe a blown piston is any orbit or ramp shot followed immediately by a shot to the dead-end. Someone please correct me if this is not the case.

Well I think you mean they still do very little. And the answer AFAIK is still yes.

Since a shot to a ramp or orbit causes the fuel lane to flash briefly, won't it also give you a Blown piston as a hurry-up while it still flashes ? I could swear I got one this way.

and ideally during multiball with the ball saver on.