Once in a few sessions. Party because that's on our characters to decide how they address the goal and partly because I create jobs where "covert" seems to be first thought. Not that I would be against them going berserk, it just often seems like the proper approach
I still prepare maps, though. I've learned that theater of mind does not work with me, my players were sill lost in what's where. Probably it would be a good idea to learn how to do ToM properly but I feel I still need to learn other things first. And these are still useful for showing where the cameras and the doors are
I almost never use battlemap, but sometimes I prepare map, as they help for more than just combat. A map of the crime-scene sometimes really helps the PC figuring out how the clues say something about the story. Knowing how dorm are organized in the university campus can really help when you want to play campus drama. Thinking about how the "servant can bring food from the castle-kitchen to the ballroom* suddently means that you have a whole network of small corridors which can be used for an infiltration.
And then even though I suck at it it's sometimes quite fun to do
I almost never use battlemap, but sometimes I prepare map
Wait, what's the difference? A grid?
I prefer to have some kind of grid on mine as it helps with seeing the scale. But the moment a player starts counting squares of movement, so the the squares of range fit, I get triggered ;) I don't play rpgs to measure ranges with a ruler
A map of the crime-scene sometimes really helps the PC figuring out how the clues say something about the story
Exactly! it can backfire, though. You put something somewhere becuase "it fits" but suddenly your players are sure something you didn't intend has happened because of the layout
I'd say that the difference is mostly the intended use but you're right a map could be used for a battle or for role-play depending on the circumstance. You may-want to use the map just to fight, or want to use the map to set some "game elements", the tavern has some private lounge on the side, room where you can "buy some love" on the upper floor, and in the basement there is a few cages where the local mafia keep persons who needs to have a talk with the boss (and may loose some finger in Yakuza inspired scene)