▁was ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁primary ▁attack , ▁while ▁the ▁second ▁wave ▁was ▁to ▁attack ▁carri ers ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁objective ▁and ▁cru is ers ▁as ▁its ▁second , ▁with ▁batt les hips ▁as ▁the ▁third ▁target . ▁The ▁first ▁wave ▁carried ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁weapons ▁to ▁attack ▁capital ▁ships , ▁mainly ▁spe cially ▁adapted ▁Type ▁ 9 1 ▁aer ial ▁tor ped o es ▁which ▁were ▁designed ▁with ▁an ▁anti - roll ▁mechanism ▁and ▁a ▁rud der ▁extension ▁that ▁let ▁them ▁operate ▁in ▁shall ow ▁water . ▁The ▁air cre ws ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁select ▁the ▁highest ▁value ▁targets ▁( b att les hips ▁and ▁aircraft ▁carri ers ) ▁or , ▁if ▁these ▁were ▁not ▁present , ▁any ▁other ▁high ▁value ▁ships ▁( c ru is ers ▁and ▁destroy ers ). ▁First ▁wave ▁d ive ▁bom bers ▁were ▁to ▁attack ▁ground ▁targets . ▁F igh ters ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁stra fe ▁and ▁destroy ▁as ▁many ▁park ed ▁aircraft ▁as ▁possible ▁to ▁ensure ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁into ▁the ▁air ▁to ▁intercept ▁the ▁bom bers , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁wave . ▁When ▁the ▁f igh ters ' ▁fuel ▁got ▁low ▁they ▁were ▁to ▁ref uel ▁at ▁the ▁aircraft ▁carri ers ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁combat . ▁F igh ters ▁were ▁to ▁serve ▁C AP ▁duties ▁where ▁needed , ▁especially ▁over ▁U . S . ▁air fields . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁attack ▁comm enced , ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁launched ▁reconna issance ▁float plan es ▁from ▁cru is ers ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁one ▁to ▁sc