CVE strategy?

[SuluSea]

I'm running a scenario 17 on historical and in daily turn rate. It's my first long campaign and suprisingly I'm doing quite well even if it is against the AI[:D].

It's January 17, 1943,

The only fleet Carrier the IJN has left is Shokaku that I have to worry about.

Somehow she got entangled with some Allied battleships and cruisers when Imperial Japanese forces were making a push for Gili Gili and I haven't seen her since. Thus far I've only lost Yorktown but most of my fleet carriers were sent back to Pearl heavily damaged.

The allies have most of New Gunea and are trying to build a base on Vila although I found out the hard way I need a base in the Russell's for CAP to reach Vila.

A little heads up on where I'm at before the questions.

I have Wasp and Lexington operating 480 miles NE of Kavieng. They were operating well east of Bougianville and made a run on some battleships after they sunk a AK at Vila.
It cost the IJN Fuso and a few hits on Yamato.

I have CVE's USS Sangamon, USS Chenango and USS Suwanee at Noumea and asking for advice on how to use them best.

Should I operate all three in the same Task Force?

Is there any rule of thumb on how many CVE's and CVs should be together?

I read the USN should only operate 2 carriers in the same TF.

I'm thinking of running them well east of the Solomons and wait to pounce on something that sorties from Truk.

Looking forward to reading some replies. Thanks[:)]

[tocaff]

Never run a CV with a CVE in the same TF as the CVE will slow the CV down.  CVEs don't fare well when bombs and torps start flying.  They're great for ASW, ferrying planes and escorting (CAP) transports.  Front line combat is against CVs is suicide.

[SuluSea]

Thanks Todd,[:)] I know the CVEs would slow the TF down.
Kaga, Zuikaku, Akagi, Hiryu, Soryu, Hiyo, Junyo, Ryujo and Zuiho are all resting comfortably on the ocean floor and not discounting the threat of LBA I have an edge with carrier forces and was trying to think outside the box.

[;)]

[Miller]

Long Island has 3 uses:

a) A/c ferry to get short ranged fighters from Aus to New Caladonia

b) Provide scout planes for the fleet....a 16 plane SBD group searching from her saves all your higher exp CV based a/c for naval attacks.

c) Decoy (although some would find this gamey).

[panda124c]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Long Island has 3 uses:

a) A/c ferry to get short ranged fighters from Aus to New Caladonia

b) Provide scout planes for the fleet....a 16 plane SBD group searching from her saves all your higher exp CV based a/c for naval attacks.

c) Decoy (although some would find this gamey).

Item c is a constant everytime she sails, therefore not gamey.[:D]

[tocaff]

I think that the LI is very usefull in her own way.  There are no platforms of no value in the game and the good player uses them all to his advantage.