You see what I mean about us Brits doing understatements so well.........
Perhaps ..
but I really do think the "cleanup" is more complicated that many here seem to believe and won't be 100%
The immediate problem is to police the battle area, killing Japanese cripples and saving lives.
That will use up most of the remaining Allied torpedoes and delay any surface pursuit or even recon.
The long term elephant in the room is of course protecting the landings.
IMHO that will take up USS Washington and KGV
and some of the CVs from force Q + their escorts
The next biggest problem (the hippo in the room?) is safeguarding Lee's damaged ships as they retreat
IMHO those combat ineffective 3 BBs and several cruisers will take up all Lee's surviving escorts
& probably one or two of the RN CVs even if only for ASW and CAP vs land based planes.
That leaves only TF-16 as an offensive weapon with 3 CVs but without heavy ships they can't press too far forward
AND the real restriction on their freedom of action is logistics (isn't it always iRL?)
Although TF-16 are already partially resupplied with fuel, torps and bombs etc are still getting low.
Worse even if force Q can unrep quickly for some fuel they also have very limited "ship killing" ammunition
and can't resupply these at all from USN sources.
Therefore Force Q simply cannot remain on station at the landings for very long.
TF-16 have 1 day at most, probably only one strike cycle before they need to back off and take over guard of the landings.
That isn't enough in numbers or time to bring down any of the 3 big Japanese BBs
(even assuming they are found to be in range)
IMHO their targets should be Shokaku, Hyuga, Hei and Ryujo though I doubt the USN will agree.
(not necessarily in that order ... it depends upon how the recon by the Catalinas and Sunderlands work out)
Personally I don't think they will manage even that much
For the sub lines - well ... reorientation to catch the several retreating groups is a problem
(helped by ASV radar spotters tonight but until Zuikaku and Ryugo are dealt with that will not be so simple in daylight)
Torpedoes are also a problem: numbers in the T Class RN Boats, reliability in the USN Fleet boats.
However if the Big 3 should stumble across a boat or two they may take more damage
(just don't count on it)
Unfortunately I think the land based planes are played out for ship strikes
and all others are needed to maintain the suppression of Japanese airfields
In that same period I expect that SoDak, Lexington and perhaps one other BB to founder or get picked off.
The cleanup certainly will favor the Allies but not by much in absolute terms
Aside: edited later for both a lot of grammar and a bit more sense
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