re: You're making a false comparison
" For several scenarios, having continuous coverage at a high data rate is better than having partial coverage at a very high data rate."
But unless you have the ability to get those high multiple megabit/second downlinks ( which multiple smaller spacecraft just could not do ) - then you have to sacrifice science on the surface.
For rovers controlled remotely - very high data rate occasionally - is what is required- not consistant low data rates.
Doug