Strategies for summoning a particular 5* Unit?

If you want a specific unit then never EVER summon full circles. Summon only from the color with that specific unit. Summoning full circles is a huuuge waste and gives you unwanted pity breakers way more easily. I usually summon with only one color and I usually get the unit I'm looking for with around 30-80 orbs. Same can't be said about full summons. Also getting up to 5% requires 160 orbs. I have never reached a pity rate that high before except for the legendary banner where I almost doubled the starting rates. That was one shitty banner.

I do one full summon round, then snipe if there's a unit I'm targeting (which is rare). I prefer to do full rounds regardless though.

5 is way too much. I rarely go over 4% before gettING a 5 stars hero. I recommend once you hit 3.5% you should snipe from there on.

Mostly sniping but I try to always have two 'wants' on a banner. A backup color if you will. I keep count on my pity and if I have 1 orbs of what I want and 1 of the back up and need two orbs for the next pity up I'll often pull. Unless I get a high pity. I have hit 4+% on numerous occasions. Once I am up that high I exclusively target my preference. As Split pointed out at that point you have likely blown all your F2P orbs and/or your budget for spending on FEH, unless your whaling of course. At that point I assume I am going to be lucky if I get even one of the banner units and no longer pull off color unless I have no choice. Of course that is what happened on the Halloween banner. It really didn't want me to have Nowi. *Mutter Mutter*

The % rate is a trap. You're more likely to get a 5 star at a higher % but whether or not it's focus in red is luck at this point.

being f2p i dont ever really snipe... I just go until i get something and pray its the one i want lol

I only go for the color of hero I want and nothing else. Expect to spend 60 or so orbs on average.