I had an idea, and i dont think it has even been brought up before. (I do not know a lot about it, so if you do could you please tell me about it!)
In WWII ships often laid smokescreens to avoid being attacked, whether by air, or by other naval vessels. This would be good in AH if the destroyers could lay a smokescreen to obscure the CV from enemy cruisers or inbound bombers/suicide weenies.
Here are some pictures of the Tirpitz using smoke to try and obscure itself from Lancasters.
In these pictures they released the smoke too late, and the ship took a beating.
