Acting on Button with Decent Strength hand, and lots of limpers...

[mingorama]

First post on 2+2, so I apologize in advance if the format/writing is bad on my part.

Assuming a mid-stakes ($2-$5 or $3-$5) NL cash game, with a full table (9) of players. You're on the button (or one off) with an average stack (say $400-$600) and a typically raiseworthy hand like AQ, AJs, or KQs, a mid pocket pr, or something of that nature. (Sure, you might not raise under the gun or in early position, but usually would if acting late)

In this instance, you have a BUNCH of limpers in front of you. My first question is, how much of a raise should you make (if you make one at all)? Say there's already 4-5 callers --- would you want to make a large enough raise to possibly take down the pot immediately, or possibly leave just one or two callers that you'll have position on post-flop? How much? $35 or more? Obviously, I typically wouldn't raise more than 3 or 4x the blind with hands of that nature, but with position and enough in the pot already, is it best to fire a larger bet?

Obviously, an inherent risk to this already is an early player with a monster who limped, hoping to disguise the strength of the hand and possibly smooth-calling or re-raising the pot preflop. (Sure, I typically don't advocate smooth calling AA or KK, but I've seen it enough to be wary of it) In this case, this is risky post-flop, as I would arguably fire a decent sized continuation bet post-flop if the board is harmless looking enough and action is checked to me(and given the number of players still in the hand, and all the other variables that go along with that).

The other risks are people with low pockets that called the raise preflop because of implied odds, and hitting their set. Then they are in an ideal check-raise position, knowing that the preflop raiser (me) will be acting behind them, and possibly knowing that I would be acting aggressively. Of course, I could hit the flop myself, or it could miss everyone else, and a pot-sized bet post flop could end the hand and nab a reasonable pot. Or, I could hit a flush draw or nut straight draw and be able to control whether or not to see a free card if action is checked to me after the flop.

I'm just wondering what you think would work out better from a long term perspective..... you could win some small to medium sized pots acting aggressively (pre-flop and post-flop), but could be setting yourself up for some BIG losses if one or more of the early pre-flop limpers is holding a monster, or gets a big piece of the flop. All things equal, what's the best general action plan in this situation? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Hindsight2020]

how often do they fold to various raise sizes?

how do they play post flop?