The players are advised to scout one contact or sector at a time. In the simulation, too many scouts leave too few aircraft available to mount a strike. The same aircraft capacity supports both search and attack, so wider coverage can leave too little force to exploit a contact. Searching one sector at a time preserves aircraft for a follow-on strike. Reconnaissance and attack therefore share one air-group plan.
Notable Point · 18:42-19:01
Scouting versus strike capacity in carrier operations
The decision to search one contact at a time exposes how reconnaissance can consume the same finite aircraft capacity needed for an offensive strike.