The scenario asks what happens if the first strike failed. IOTL the Japanese sent out an aircraft for BDA. The air cover missed it completely. Had either heavy still been afloat a second strike was available with 36 G3M and 10 G4M, plus the Zeros.But where the longer range bombers not so out of fuel from searching, that they had to attack as they arrived rather than as a larger group?
Any A6M will be,
- out of fuel if they join the search
- to late arriving if they stay back and just react to the sighting
- anyway conduction a CAP covering the landings to the north 25 isn't much to keep a constant CAP all day over the critical fleet at such range