General Rule #1:
It's all about the pilots. The CV is just the launching platform, that gets better at each level. Maximize your pilots' ability, elite, boosted, vets, everything!
General Rule #2:
You are a support ship with attack capability. Your primary mission is to support your team. That means being in communication with your other CVs and the BBs you have been assigned to cover, south or north.
General Rule #3:
Just because you have low level pilots doesn't mean you can't be an effective CV. Use Locals for your first fighters, run them out of gas and send more of them until you don't have any more. Protect your BBs is your primary responsibility. For your bombers, they'll get chewed up, but you can still launch torps. Do it until you run out of bombers.
General Rule #4:
Yes, you are the responsible for ensuring vision for your BBs. Even though they have scouts, they are dumb and don't know how to use them. You have to keep your fighters and bombers over enemy ships until they run out of gas.
General Rule #5:
It's just a game. Have fun and don't let anyone tell you what to do.