>>6113643The greatest complication is going to be those few patrol aircraft still in the air. If they carry air-to-air missiles they would be able to substantially reduce the missile attack’s numbers and hence chance of success, on top of possibly providing targeting data to their fleet just as your own aircraft could. Unless, of course, they were coaxed away and taken out. That would require at least some of your fighters to follow their SLAMs into harm’s way to distract the foe, but you had the overwhelming advantage in numbers both of airframes and of missiles, and with just four patrol aircraft in position to do anything about your attack and no conflicting priorities for weapons employment this time, you almost certainly be able to overwhelm them from a distance, even if it meant defending from a shot or two in turn.
>[1] Continue the mission as planned; there’s been enough risk today. You’ll almost certainly do some serious damage if not put all those ships under outright, and in the worst case, you have more missiles, and can mount a larger and more sophisticated attack the second time. >[2] Take the risk. If the attack fails you’ll be facing a longer battle, possibly against two carrier air wings (even if one has just been largely declawed), and so forced to defend again. >[3] Write-in. (e.g. questions for the Captain fairy, telling me to GET ON WITH IT, etc.) 