The year is 1933 in Europe. The Germans have developed the Flak 18, one of the first true antiaircraft artillery. Previous attempts during WW1 were clumsy and generally unsuitable for the task of shooting down flying things. The new Flak 18 is purpose built to put the hurting on airplanes.
During a training exercise in the Black Forest, German scouts discover a great cave filled with treasure, the bones of many many animals and an overwhelming smell of sulphur...a dragon's lair!
The main German force is still 30 km away and the dragon is not yet home. The scouts have been gone, taking a small treasure sample with them. They leave the smell of fear and excitement behind them, a dinner invitation to the dragon.
You, oh answerer of questions, are the dragon. Your horde has been violated and the tasty treats left a trail back to their camp. Your first snatch-and-grab was a resounding success with many tiny morsels consumed in a single night. Your stomach bubbles in happy contentment. But there are many more to be had and you soon grow hungry.
Your next attack however, is not as successful. As you fly to the camp, black puffs of smoke appear in the air around you accompanied by angry buzzing hornet noises that bounce of your beautiful scales. Suddenly, you take a glancing blow to the chest that nearly knocks you from the sky, so you retreat.
How will you get more tasty morsels?
You are a:
- Smaug sized dragon with the ability to breath fire to a distance of 50m. You have the usual horns, claws and thick scales.
- Operational ceiling without load is 10,000m for an indefinite period.
- Operational ceiling with a 1000kg load is 5,000m.
- able to hover for very short periods
- able to get airborne without any kind of running start.
- top speed in level flight is 200km/h.
- top speed in a dive is 400km/h.
- able to appreciate the subtle nuances of charcoal meat but prefer rare or medium rare at the most.
The German camp of 1000 men is in a large clearing running along the valley floor surrounded by tall forests. A paved road runs the length of the valley. The surrounding ridges are inaccessible by truck because of the dense trees. They have no tanks or armored vehicles.
If you are so inclined, please write your answers from the perspective of the Dragon instead of the more typical third person view. You are up against a German army of strict 1933 capabilities. The only magic in the world is that somehow a giant dragon has somehow found its way into 1933 without prior discovery.