IAA • 6 missions

Operation Paper Trail

A complete Operation Paper Trail family guide: from first access through the correct index and a safe first run to repeats without mixing in temporary bonuses.

1–4 playersJump to walkthrough ↓

OPERATION / PAPER / TRAIL

Required purchaseAgent ULP and the Downtown U marker

Entry costNo persistent Job fee

Possible GTA$Variable amount

Possible RPVariable amount

Cooldown0 minno fixed wait

Complete activity guide

Operation Paper Trail: the index and access are sourced; reward figures below are separated from events and carry their own confidence.

Start here

Operation Paper Trail

Start here

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

Access and requirements

No property required; the host clears six IAA missions in order.

If the start is missing

Change session, leave any active Organization/Job and wait for ULP's call; after completion use Rockstar Created.

REQUIRED

Players

1–4

REQUIRED

Access

No property required; the host clears six IAA missions in order.

OPTIONAL / INFORMATIONAL

Job fee

No persistent launch fee; required purchases are stated above.

01 • First completion, step by step

First completion, step by step

01
Start: 1. Intelligence
ACTION
Host Intelligence at the ULP marker.
TIP
Run the campaign in order; in FIB interiors mark the exit before touching a terminal.
RISK / FAILURE CONDITION
If the “No property required; the host clears six IAA missions in order.” gate is not met, 1. Intelligence will not save the intended progression.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN
Change session, leave any active Organization/Job and wait for ULP's call; after completion use Rockstar Created.
02
Operation Paper Trail index
ACTION
Run the six entries in order; host settlement unlocks the next chapter.
TIP
Confirm “1. Intelligence” before the first launch, then progress to “6. Cleanup” through the index.
RISK / FAILURE CONDITION
Choosing an entry outside the Operation Paper Trail index changes the mechanics or does not save this strand.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN
After a wipe return to the checkpoint, clear the nearest sector and only then resume the interaction or escort.
03
Flow: 1. Intelligence → 6. Cleanup
ACTION
In each chapter gather intel/objectives first, then safely extract the required vehicle or person.
TIP
Split hacking, van driving and long-range cover; in Cleanup leave the escape vehicle facing away from the silo.
RISK / FAILURE CONDITION
Enter the silo, restore power, wipe the servers and extract. Losing the objective before the last checkpoint requires a restart from the save.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN
After a wipe return to the checkpoint, clear the nearest sector and only then resume the interaction or escort.
04
Settle 6. Cleanup
ACTION
Finish “6. Cleanup”, remain through the result screen and confirm this family's progress save.
TIP
After settlement verify that Operation Paper Trail marks its final entry complete.
RISK / FAILURE CONDITION
Leaving before the “6. Cleanup” result can forfeit progression or reward.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN
Replay “6. Cleanup” as the correct host/operator and wait for the full session return.
05
Operation Paper Trail replay
ACTION
Return to: Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions. Then choose a named indexed entry rather than a random family.
TIP
Run the campaign in order; in FIB interiors mark the exit before touching a terminal.
RISK / FAILURE CONDITION
A missing “1. Intelligence” indicates an unmet gate or different pool, not permanent removal of the whole family.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN
Change session, leave any active Organization/Job and wait for ULP's call; after completion use Rockstar Created.

02 • Variants and mechanics

Variants and mechanics

1. Intelligence

1–4

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

OBJECTIVE: Search Mason's apartment and the FIB sites, then recover the marked equipment.
MECHANIC: Search Mason's apartment and photograph the leads, then enter both FIB sites and take the marked hardware.
COMPLETION: The mission completes after all hardware is delivered to ULP and the pursuit zone is cleared.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN: If one item is missing, return to the last yellow area and check every floor; after a wipe resume from the last FIB site.

2. Counterintelligence

1–4

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

OBJECTIVE: Hack both drones, survive the motel ambush and disarm the trapped van.
MECHANIC: Approach each drone separately and keep the hack in range; after waking in the motel disarm the van bombs in the panel order.
COMPLETION: Completion triggers when the disarmed van reaches the safe drop without an active pursuit.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN: After losing a hack, back off and reacquire the same drone; if the van explodes restart the checkpoint and clear the motel before touching the panel.

3. Extraction

1–4

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

OBJECTIVE: Locate Agent Johnson, rescue her and deliver her safely to the IAA.
MECHANIC: Search the marked hideouts, confirm Johnson's position, clear her cell and move the escort behind the cover vehicle.
COMPLETION: The mission ends only when Johnson reaches the IAA drop alive.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN: If Johnson stops, bring the escort back and clear the nearest wave; if she dies use the checkpoint instead of driving the empty route.

4. Asset Seizure

1–4

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

OBJECTIVE: Destroy the jammers, track the delivery van and seize its shipment.
MECHANIC: Destroy the jammers in HUD order, watch the signal update and, once tracked, block the van without destroying it.
COMPLETION: Completion is confirmed when the seized van and cargo are delivered to the IAA.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN: If tracking stalls, return to the missed jammer; take a damaged van by stopping its driver without explosives.

5. Operation Paper Trail

1–4

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

OBJECTIVE: Search the construction site, chase Mason and recover the briefcase.
MECHANIC: Search the marked construction levels, identify Mason, chase him without destroying the briefcase and collect the evidence after stopping him.
COMPLETION: The chapter closes when the recovered briefcase reaches the IAA marker.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN: If Mason escapes view, return to the last route marker; if the case is under fire, clear the wave before collecting it.

6. Cleanup

1–4

Take Agent ULP's call and enter the yellow U at the IAA building Downtown; replay through Pause → Jobs → Missions.

OBJECTIVE: Enter the silo, restore power, wipe the servers and extract.
MECHANIC: Enter the silo, restore power section by section, wipe the servers under active cover and return along the marked extraction route.
COMPLETION: The campaign records 6/6 after leaving the silo and reaching the full Cleanup results screen.
HOW TO RECOVER THE RUN: If power is incomplete check the last panel; after a server-room wipe clear the wave before restarting the terminal wipe.

03 • Real roles / Strategies

Real roles i Strategies

Real roles

IAA host

Owns progression and leads story interactions.

Real roles

Cover

Clears waves and protects hacks, the van or escort.

SAFE FIRST RUN

Run the campaign in order; in FIB interiors mark the exit before touching a terminal.

ADVANCED

Split hacking, van driving and long-range cover; in Cleanup leave the escape vehicle facing away from the silo.

04 • Reward and economic status

Mission/time-dependent payout • informational

Pay depends on the specific Job, result, time and settings. There is no single defensible family-wide table, so no sustainable $/h or event multiplier is calculated.

GTA$GTA$ ≈ 20 × (300 + mission unlock rank) × time × difficulty × players

Observed range specific to this activity; variant, result, duration or completion condition selects the value within it. Event multipliers are excluded.

B • community-reported

RPRP ≈ 9 × (100 + rank/2) × time × difficulty × targeting/players + action RP

The formula and roles apply to the stated settlement unit; event multipliers are excluded.

B • community-reported

Repeats follow normal Job availability; one-time awards and weekly bonuses are not baseline pay.

CONFIDENCE: Access/index A; economics lack a full table

05 • Common mistakes and recovery

Common mistakes and recovery

ULP's call does not launch Intelligence

Leave the active Job/organization, change session and approach the yellow U as host.

The van explodes in Counterintelligence

Stop before the zone, remove pursuit and disarm only after the area is clear.

Johnson or the briefcase never reaches the finish

Return to the checkpoint, clear the route ahead and only then move the escort/objective.

06 • Readiness checklist

Readiness checklist

I see the yellow U and host Intelligence
I have the six IAA missions in the correct order
Cover protects the hack, Johnson and the van
Before Cleanup I know the silo escape route
I wait for the save after every mission

07 • What next

What next

Contact Missions →Classic contact jobs outside the IAA campaign.Project Overthrow →Another terminal campaign.

VIDEO

Video walkthrough

Verified video · EN

GTA Online: Operation Paper Trail Tier 4 Challenge Guide! (How to Complete Solo)

All six ULP missions, bonus conditions and solo completion.

Channel: GhillieMaster
Published: 9 Jul 2023
Checked: 29 Aug 2026

Open the walkthrough on YouTube ↗