Let's do a little brainstorming. Imagine the largest dragon ever known to us (80 m tall and over 150 m long) is now hiding in its underground nest (which may or may not be occupied by additional smaller dragons) in a mountain range and you have to kill it (and any other dragons in the area). For this mission the following modern military assets are at your disposal: 1. 4 9k22 Tunguska SPAAG 2. an Australian infantry company. Reinforced with 2 extra 60mm mortars and some TOW missiles. They also carry their rifles, carbines, SAW and AT-4 rocket launchers. 3. 12-15 ASLAVs with .50 cal HMG mounts. Transports of the infantry company. 4. a pair of F-15E Strike Eagles. 5. 4 AMX 10 RC 6. a pair of WZ-10 attack helicopters. There are no civilians in the area. White phosphorus rounds and Chemical weapons can be used but be advised, the dragon(s) is/are highly resistant to poison. One more thing, no one in your team is capable of using any kind of magic. Any ideas? Leave a comment below.
Dispatch a single fearless individual in singlet, crampons, a rucksack and rope. Probably he will be British, American maybe, background in mountaineering, the military. Be advised the dragons have hostage in her underwear and chains.
Since dragons are made up, the characteristics of dragons in your world have to be known. How smart are they? What are their behavior patterns? What are their capabilities? What are their weaknesses, &c.?
Maybe he's an Anglo-American orphan named Huck Twist? He can defeat a dragon by shouting at it and absorbing his soul because he is. . . THE DOVAHKIIN!!!! I'll be going now. But seriously, tanks and battleships will provide great help against the dragons.
IQ: Cunning as a wolf Speed: 60km/h (walking), 200km/h (flying), 400 km/h (diving from the sky) Strength: They can lift 5 tons while flying and their claws can tear a 10-meter-tall brick wall apart at ease. Armor: Thick scales covered it top to bottom. Beneath that a 20mm thick epidermis layer made out of tough fibers. Their fuel bladder (see below) are significantly better protected as a thick layer of bones is directly above the bladder. Overall their skin can stop 5.56mm NATO rounds effectively and the bones can sustain a few 7.62mm AP rounds without breaking. Capabilities: They can spit flames out from their mouths. Fueled by the natural gas stored in their bladders, the blue flames spitted out can reach out to 100m and burns up to 700°C. Some of them can release hydrogen chloride from small ducts on their skin to stun/kill their preys. Behavior: Dragons live in a small pact and the only male dragon is responsible for hunting while female dragons guard the young. This is important as dragons are cannibals so they will kill and eat other dragons apart from dragons from their own pact. Younger dragons will have to wonder on their own and build a nest on their own once they are expelled from the original pact. They will have only one mate in their lives so lone dragons will be using all their time trying to find their perfect partner.
(over-series mode activated) That's why there are Russian bombers at your disposal. However you should be reminded that the nest is directly above an oil field that holds more oil than Iraq and Iran combined. The Americans will really want this place, or the oil beneath it anyway.
A single, fearless, highly trained operative in pink taffeta and a tiara. She is welcomed into the den, where she slips the Dragon a chemical cocktail which reacts with the fuel in its gas bladder. In the confusion, Agent Andromeda flees the den, leaps onto the chopper's rope ladder, which flies away as the dragon explodes and 80's hair metal blares in the background.
Is this a metaphor? A select group of highly powerful reptilian creatures are guarding a planetary treasure which can be used to dominate our modern economy? And they will eat anyone outside of their own clan....
We could build a mall in its underground nest, thus forcing it out of its natural habitat into a nearby suburb, whereupon it will be run over by a Toyota Sienna while trying to cross the street in a residential neighborhood.
Stop! Dragons are an endangered species and should be protected. Capture the creatures and transport them, using a specially designed giant helicopter, to a Welsh dragon farm where they can serve producing milk. Dragon milk is available in Welsh supermarkets. P.S. Milking dragons is one of the most dangerous jobs in Wales.
Um. You didn't tell us about this oil field in the OP. Clearly the answer here is to suggest there are terrorists siding with the dragons and keeping the oil for themselves to a reputable news source like FoxNews. The rest, as they say, would be history.
