Actually, the biggest change the buff guys insisted on after Frame 1 was that the fighters be allowed to sweep rather than escort.
We basically unleashed them and told them to go do their job, which is engage enemy fighters. The buffs flew unescorted.
Maybe the 109's either got too interested in fighter V fighter and forgot their real mission or maybe the jugs were more effective when not tied to the buffs.
Anyway, it worked just fine.
Gee, wonder what historical example we pulled that from?