An additional extra bit of info to the closed issue, with kernel 5.3.6 I no longer need to remove the HDMI cable, it boots very quickly to a login screen without any extra interference.
Also: In the last kernel before this one that would only produce a working screen if I removed and replaced the HDMI cable, I found that if instead of the cable solution, I pretended I could see the login screen, and just typed what it would be asking for, could I see it, it would start KDE with no further action as well.
So, Done and done.