Castle Federation works because its enemy is allowed to think, maneuver, and disrupt the carrier's plan. Weaker carrier fiction often gives the protagonist unlimited time to arrive, launch every craft, organize the formation, and attack on ideal terms. Real operations assume that the opponent also observes and acts. Harassment during launch or deployment can change the value of a carrier before the main battle even begins. Letting the enemy get a vote turns carrier capacity from a static specification into an operational problem.
Notable Point · 1:40:54-1:41:37
Carrier fiction improves when the enemy gets a vote
A convincing opponent harasses launch cycles, maneuvers against the carrier, and denies the force time to organize an ideal strike.