CAP is just too brutal in the game as it stands now. If one is going to include such concepts as uncoordinated strikes, the same sort of breakdown needs to be modelled for CAP. It was not simply a numbers game as it is currently modelled. Strikes basically came in from one direction while CAP was orbiting a TF and even with fighter direction, much CAP never actually engaged the incoming strikes. CAP needs to be redone at the very least with maybe 1/4 of undirected CAPtotals being made available for incoming intercepts and directed CAP possibly 1/2 of total aircraft aloft.
And operational launch values need to be given to carriers to reflect their handling capacity so that more realistic strike packages and ready CAP reinforcements are the norm. It blows me away that some old piece of junk like Ryujo with a mere to small elevators can have the same ability to handle aircraft as Shokaku.
The A2A, CV ops, and CV strike coordination models certainly do leave a lot to be desired. Although I have to say that over the course of an entire day, Ryujo (or any CV) could certainly be expected to launch all her aircraft (and recover any survivors). Part of the problem is one of scale. The one day turn has led to some choices that don't feel right to many of us (strikes composed of entire air groups, interceptions made by 100% of CAP) simply because over the course of a day, all the aircraft
could have participated in strikes, all the fighters
could have made interceptions, etc. Unfortunately, these choices combined with the strike coordination rule make for some unrealistically vicious interceptions by CAP, and do not allow sufficiently for strike packages that manage to largely evade CAP.
Again, a good work-around is to limit CAP to 30-40%.