The Star in the Sky

**The Star in the Sky** is a contract available in Imandra given by the Kola expedition.

It is the main mission of Imandra and the focus of the Search & Recover DLC.

*Note:* This page includes spoilers.

## Overview

The Star in the Sky is the primary contract offered by the Kola Expedition and one of the most challenging missions in the entire game. The player is tasked with locating and recovering 3 pieces of a crashed bomber in the Imandra lake. Locating the pieces alone can be difficult let alone retrieving them. It is a mission recommended only for experienced players with access to heavy trucks such as the KOLOB 74760 or Pacific P16.

The contract can be started at any time provided that The Price of Victory has been completed. The contract has 3 stages.

The first stage requires the player retrieve a wide flatbed semi trailer from the Imandra airport. The flatbed requires a saddle high and is extremely wide and long so a heavy truck is recommended. The flatbed must then be delivered to the Imandra lake to activate the second stage.

For the second stage, a truck equipped with the Metal Detector Module add-on is required to locate each fragment of the plane. The player must activate the metal detector module in the search area, once close enough, it will then mark the cargo on the map. The largest section is the fuselage which is located under water slightly west near the northern shore of the lake. The wing with an engine attached is located further west on a hill north of the lake. The terrain is very uneven so caution should be taken to prevent a roll-over. The third and last section of the plane is the second wing. It is located near the western shore of the lake near the cabins. Though it is easy to retrieve, finding it can be somewhat difficult due it being submerged as well.

The third and final stage of the mission requires the player to retrieve the fragments with a crane and load them on the wide flatbed. Though each piece of the plane look extremely heavy, they are actually very light and can be carried with a heavy crane with relative ease. Relying on the small loading crane is not recommended as it does not have as much reach as the heavy crane. The main fuselage section can be the most tricky to deliver due to its width. Heading towards the beach can provide a clear path to the airport. If a section of the fuselage gets caught on obstacles like trees the player can use the winch to pull the trailer sideways to clear the fuselage of obstacles.

The wings can be transported on a sideboard bed provided the truck can also equip a small crane. By placing the wing flat on the bed and lowering the crane against the wing it will not move. However by doing this method the winch will not be available while the crane is holding the wing so extra caution should be used. The wide flat bed trailer can be used instead if the player prefers to haul a trailer. The wings will also fit on the trailer completely preventing them from getting caught like the fuselage.

Once each segment of the plane is delivered the mission will be completed and net the player a hefty 18,000 dollars in spending cash. The Wide Flatbed will also be owned by the player and can be sold for money or kept for any remaining contracts.

## Tips

* Opening the garage is a must for this mission. It not only provides the player with easy access to their fleet but also makes potential recovery missions faster and less time consuming.
* Winching vehicles can save the player trips by driving a crane truck and metal detector truck to the lake in 1 trip.
* Watchtower activation or use of the Prototype Exploration Unit is a life saver for this daunting contract. Having Watchtower observations completed will reveal potential shortcuts that one might not normally find.
* There is a Fuel Carrier trailer located east of the lake, so there is no need to bring your own.

## Trivia

* The Bomber appears to be based on multiple World War 2 era American bombers. Its overall design closely resembles a B-26 Marauder based on the cockpit window design and overall proportions but its tail wing design appears to be based on a B-25 Mitchell.