Just dot and dabbed a wall today, first time ever as it happens too.
I'd taken the old tiles off and the walls were a bit messy, not much plaster left at all, looked like the walls have had a
cement screed on first or something, then a very thin plaster coat, only 1 or 2 mil if that, and the old tiles had taken off over 70% of the plaster.
Anyway, walls were quite uneven so I opted to plasterboard the wall.
Just bought a 20 kg of plasterboard bonding
cement and mixed it quite thick and put medium fist sized lumps all over the board, spaced out roughly every 20cm so once the bonding
cement compresses I should have near 100% coverage, held it to the wall and pressed on firmly, then layed the next board firmly then took my 4ft spirit level and basically whack the boards like hell going up and down making sure both boards lay level to each other.
Stuck on like a treat.
Im no expert on the bonding strengths, but if using upto medium sized ceramics then no drilling should be needed.