Modern Warfare | ISAF Afghan Interpreter

[Oppl]

Hi guys, here's my Afghan interpreter I knocked up.

Mostly Hot Toys parts, with a Playhouse body and a custom patch from our very own Casual_Collector (the ISAF and Union Flag patch are also from him too - highly recommended!).

Ideally, I'd have wanted him to be a younger lad rather than an older man, but aside from making my own head sculpt this was the best head I could find to represent a typical Afghan.

Cheers for looking

[8-bit commando]

A seamless playhouse body? Which release was this from?

[Oppl]

Their Somalia D-Boy. The original head was modelled after Eric Bana (it was meant to be 'Hoot' from Black Hawk Down during the recon op in Mogadishu). I combined that body with the head from another of their sets.

Oh, and it's only the arms that are seamless

[Garaballo]

Hmm... Playhouse D-boy I think.

Oppl, I've seen interpreters with PASGT helmets (or where they MICH?), ESS goggles and a shemagh used as a scarf, I guess the balaclava is ok too, but it reminds me too much of a regular brit rather than an afghan interpreter.

Good job though.

[sandrobrandiao]

Great work !!

[Oppl]

Originally Posted by Garaballo

Hmm... Playhouse D-boy I think.

Oppl, I've seen interpreters with PASGT helmets (or where they MICH?), ESS goggles and a shemagh used as a scarf, I guess the balaclava is ok too, but it reminds me too much of a regular brit rather than an afghan interpreter.

Good job though.

Thanks for the advice. It was a straight bash from parts, so I didn't go specifically buying stuff for the figure (the body itself is actually to be used as a Taliban).

I'll see about getting a shemagh. It's funny, cause I have a Dragon PASGT helmet in the box and I was going to use it but it was just so old it looked so out of place (quality wise).

Oh, I also deliberately gave him barebones old Brit kit alongside the fully-tooled up up-to-date MTP Brit to make him also stand-out as not being part of the British Army.

[8-bit commando]

Cool man. Thanks a lot!

[VeniViciVinci]

Great work! From what i saw, a lot of our interpretors wore balaclavas when they go into areas that they may frequent when they are not on the FOB. Other times, it was for pure protection in a bad area. IIRC, the bounty on a terps head was higher than that of an American soldier.

Where did you get those boots from?

[Casual_Collector]

Killer terp (I need to make one of these...) and thanks for the endorsement!

[Oppl]

Originally Posted by VeniViciVinci

Great work! From what i saw, a lot of our interpretors wore balaclavas when they go into areas that they may frequent when they are not on the FOB. Other times, it was for pure protection in a bad area. IIRC, the bounty on a terps head was higher than that of an American soldier.

Where did you get those boots from?

Yes that was the thinking behind making my guy have one. Don't want the enemy finding out who they are and killing them and their families after all. Unfortunately I really can't help you with the boots I got them, literally, years ago. They were the first ever pair of lace-up boots I ever bought in 1/6th.

Thanks everyone

[beachfly]

Looks great.

The boots are the old Toyrrific ones.

[Canuck]

Kewl!

[privateERIC]

Nice stuff, but i agree with Garaballo!

[s_j_i]

Nice bash on subject we don't see often.

In reality our interpreters get the same kit as a soldier minus the weapons and radios, so you could have kitted him up exactly like your Brit soldier.

[Oppl]

Originally Posted by s_j_i

Nice bash on subject we don't see often.

In reality our interpreters get the same kit as a soldier minus the weapons and radios, so you could have kitted him up exactly like your Brit soldier.

That was kinda the thinking I was going with. I decided to kit him out in the basic kit we used to have before we adopted MTP (minus the equipment, shirt and helmet). It was actually because I got the idea whilst watching Ross Kemp in Afghanistan One of the Afghan interpreters with the Brits had the old flak jacket-type body armour alongside the guys with the Osprey MK2. Decided to do the same with my guy, but move it up an era. So the Brit with the new Osprey, and the Interpreter with the older one.

Cheers!

[Garaballo]

Unfortunately, the only readily available reference I found was from the Kabul hotel siege, where an interpreter is seen with Kiwi SAS:



So my previous comment might not apply (perhaps a brain fart caused me to confuse both SAS).

(notice regarding opsec, is nearly impossible to find a blurred pic of them, so how they look it's pretty much public domain now)

The interpreter is wearing a DPM plate carrier, from what I can gather, other than that, while I don't like the looks, the balaclava is also a good choice, as V3 said earlier.

[pukingdog]

I like the treatment you gave this guy. They do the job for several reasons, no doubt, but all walk a perilous path.

[Castle Barracks]

[quote=Oppl;1923516]Thanks for the advice. It was a straight bash from parts, so I didn't go specifically buying stuff for the figure (the body itself is actually to be used as a Taliban).

I'll see about getting a shemagh. It's funny, cause I have a Dragon PASGT helmet in the box and I was going to use it but it was just so old it looked so out of place (quality wise).

Oh, I also deliberately gave him barebones old Brit kit alongside the fully-tooled up up-to-date MTP Brit to make him also stand-out as not being part of the British Army.[/QUOTE

Afghan Interpreters will were the same kit as British Soldiers from a distance he will look like a normal Brit Soldier, until up close you will notice then that no rank unit insignia etc is worn, also the helmet may be PASGT but usually this will be a MK6 or Mk6A the body armour may differ slightly as it may be the Desert version of the Osprey, this is to ensure that he does NOT stand out otherwise he would not live long enough to complete one patrol. Nice bash, well done.

[Oppl]

[quote=Castle Barracks;1925385]

Originally Posted by Oppl

Thanks for the advice. It was a straight bash from parts, so I didn't go specifically buying stuff for the figure (the body itself is actually to be used as a Taliban).

I'll see about getting a shemagh. It's funny, cause I have a Dragon PASGT helmet in the box and I was going to use it but it was just so old it looked so out of place (quality wise).

Oh, I also deliberately gave him barebones old Brit kit alongside the fully-tooled up up-to-date MTP Brit to make him also stand-out as not being part of the British Army.[/QUOTE

Afghan Interpreters will were the same kit as British Soldiers from a distance he will look like a normal Brit Soldier, until up close you will not then that no rank unit insignia etc is worn, also the helmet may be PASGT but usually this will be a MK6 or Mk6A the body armour may differ slightly as it may be the Desert version of the Osprey, this is to ensure that he does NOT stand out otherwise he would not live long enough to complete one patrol. Nice bash through.

Cheers for the comments. Feel free to 'donate' an MTP shirt and trousers my way then so I can improve him...

[Castle Barracks]

[quote=Oppl;1925416]

Originally Posted by Castle Barracks

Cheers for the comments. Feel free to 'donate' an MTP shirt and trousers my way then so I can improve him...

Hi Michael, your good, you have put a big smile on my face and i just remembered i have a big of kit here with your name on it, you will have plenty to restyle him then

[joshinwithya]

Cool man. Thanks