Sandman served in the United States Army under the Delta Force unit Metal, leading a team of experienced soldiers in World War III against Vladimir Makarov. Sandman led operations in New York[8], Hamburg[9], Paris[10], Berlin[11], and Siberia[1].
Sandman fighting off enemy soldiers as Price escapes.
After fighting to reach and rescue President Vorshevsky, Sandman aids Captain Price and Yuri during their escape, but is left with only Grinch and Truck to fend off many enemies. To make matters worse, the diamond mine was unstable, and it collapsed on the tunnel Team Metal was fighting in. Although Captain Price did not want to leave him behind, Sandman insisted on them leaving, just before the mine collapsed onto his squad, killing them.[1]
According to intelligence gathered by Lieutenant General Shepherd, Vladimir Makarov graduated from the Frunze Military Academy as a captain in the Russian Army, first serving as a paratrooper. Later on in his career he made it into the Spetsnaz and served two tours in Chechnya. It is believed that a company under his command were involved with some of the most brutal "cleansing" raids.
At some point, the U.N. held an inquiry investigating these charges of human rights violations. Makarov's name appeared at the top of the list presented by an EU Investigation panel, but the inquiry was dropped when Makarov opted for discharge from the armed forces. This incident would mark the beginnings of his pathological hatred towards the West and the Russian government for giving him no other option but to leave the armed forces. Afterwards, Makarov brought his past military training to bear in many criminal and terrorist enterprises such as human trafficking, money laundering, the bombing of military/civilian targets, assassination, etc. At some point, the leader of the burgeoning Ultranationalist Party, Imran Zakhaev, took notice and allowed Makarov a position within his anti-western movement. It is said that Makarov was "kept in check" by Zakhaev during this partnership. In 1996, Makarov, along with fellow soldier Yuri, was present in Pripyat when Zakhaev was shot by John Price. He drove Zakhaev away from the area, possibly saving his life. This earned him Zakhaev's trust. During Zakhaev's scheme in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, it was Makarov who ordered the detonation of the nuclear device at Al-Asad's palace. Yuri was the only witness to this. Zakhaev himself, was killed by combined USMC, Loyalist and SAS forces at the climax of the Second Russian Civil War and the Ultranationalist party splintered. Makarov's resources and contacts within the criminal world allowed him to assume control of a large portion of the dissolved Ultranationalist party, known officially in Modern Warfare 3 as Inner Circle.
After the Ultranationalists become victors in the Second Russian Civil War, Makarov plays some part in the new Ultranationalist run Russia under the main stream party's newly elected leader and President Boris Vorshevsky. However, Vorshevsky and other Ultranationalist moderate leaders knew Makarov's extreme tactics would deter any hope of trying to distance the party away from its violent past and winning the support of the Russian people. With this in mind Vorshevsky excommunicated Makarov from the Party as well as his Inner Circle terrorist group.Furious with Vorshevsky's action,Makarov vows to kill him,if not making the latter's life even more miserable.This maybe the reason why Makarov continuously launching terrorist attacks on Russia and Europe in that five year period.
According to newspaper clippings in his safehouse, Makarov held up photos of Bravo Six (Gaz, Griggs, Price and MacTavish) and declared them to be responsible for the death of Imran Zakhaev. Most likely, Zakhaev's death is the reason that he holds grudge against Price.Other news articles showed him responsible for several attacks in London and Moscow,threatening Ultranationalists removal from the government,fulfilling his vow to eliminate traitors to their cause.In No Russian cutscene,another news clipping shows him as an avid student of Russia history.He wants to see Russia return to autocratic rulings,the time of the Tsars.This maybe the reason behind his madness during the course of the conflict where in that period,Makarov viewed himself as the new Tsar and want to reestablish Russia Empire in Europe.
"Makarov's no prize. He's a whore. A mad-dog killer for the highest-bidder."
— General Shepherd to Private Allen.
In 2016, General Shepherd and his Task Force 141 are seemingly responsible for capturing Makarov and bringing him to justice. Shepherd selects American infantryman Joseph Allen from the 75th Rangers Battalion and grooms him to become a CIA agent. Shepherd then inserts Allen within Makarov's terrorist cell, seemingly for the purpose of some deep cover operation.
Makarov and his men launch their terrorist attack on Zakhaev International Airport with their latest member, Alexei Borodin (Joseph Allen's alias) in tow. Suspiciously, Allen's only orders are to follow Makarov and his men as they shoot their way through the airport, but not to intervene in any capacity. By the end of the assault, it is made apparent that Makarov knows Borodin is an undercover CIA operative. He kills Allen and leaves his body at the scene of the massacre, implicating the American soldier in the attack. Makarov explains to his comrades that his actions were meant to bring about a full scale war between the United States and Russia. Incidentally, this war would personally benefit General Shepherd. Before launching the attack, Makarov also found out that his old friend Yuri had betrayed him and shot him. Yuri vainly tried to go after Makarov but passed out due to his injuries.Angered with his former friend's action,Yuri later switched side and vow to put an end to his madness.
"Intel suggests Makarov may be using a safehouse..."
— Ghost
The war ensues and General Shepherd is given supreme command over the military and a mandate to continue his search for Makarov, who the General now truly needs killed so that he can bury any evidence of foul play. Makarov and his men are tracked down to two possible locations. One element of the Task Force is sent after Makarov in his Safehouse in the Caucus Mountains and another is sent to assassinate him at an airplane graveyard in Afghanistan. Shepherd then begins to purge his own Task Force of anyone who knows of his involvement with the airport massacre and the surrounding events. Makarov is contacted by Captain Price, who asks for intel on Shepherd's whereabouts. Realizing that his only hope for survival is getting rid of Shepherd, Makarov agrees to tell Price the location of Shepherd's base, one Site Hotel Bravo. Price and MacTavish later act on this information and assassinate Shepherd. Although no outcome is given concerning the battle between Shadow Company and Makarov's forces, Makarov himself survives. Hours after Shepherd was killed by Soap and Price, Makarov attacks the Loyalist safehouse in Northern India, the Loyalists and Task Force 141 operatives however escape.
2 months after the Russian invasion of the United States, Makarov plans a massive terrorist/military bliztkrieg attack on the cities and capitals of Europe with the goal of Russia being the supreme ruler of the continent. To achieve this goal Makarov secretly procures a large arsenal of deadly chemical weapons, to be used as a first strike weapon on many key military and government instillations throughout Makarov's dossier in Modern Warfare 3 (Note that now he's called Vladimir A. Makarov.
Western Europe. Makarov also amasses most of the Russian military to his plans of military conquest of Europe and coup d'état against Boris Vorshevsky, using the Russian peoples’ belief that their war against the U.S. is still justified, and convincing top Russian generals that Vorshevsky's peace agreement as an act against the Russian people to side with Makarov.
With his chemical weapons ready and military invasion force set, Makarov hijacksPresident Boris Vorshevsky's plane enroute to negotiate peace with NATO. Makarov's men force the plane to crash land where they swarm the site. Makarov kills Andrei Harkov and the rest of the President's security detail.
Assassination Attempt and Vorshevsky's DaughterEdit
With full scale war on the European continent, Makarov meets with his advisors, whose identities or nationalities are never disclosed to the player, in Prague. Aware that he is the target of assassination, like Zakhaev before him, Makarov sets a trap for the TF 141 operatives. Price and Yuri escape but Soap is mortally wounded and Soap eventually dies of his injuries. Makarov then talks to his second in command who is stationed in the Ultranationalist stronghold not far from Prague, and discusses plans to capture Alena Vorshevsky. Makarov's men get there before Delta Force can, and take her to an Ultrantionalist base in a Diamond Mine in Eastern Siberia. However a joint operation by both Delta Force and TF 141 rescues both Vorshevskys.Still seething over his abduction and betrayal from his men,Vorshevsky later launch a purge to eradicate every last hardliners in the party.Fearful he might face the same fate,Makarov flee along with his followers from Russia.
"Haven't you heard, Price? They say the war is over."
— Makarov to Price after answering Price's phone call
With the war over, Makarov went into hiding in the Arabian Peninsula at the Hotel Oasis. In January, Price and Yuri assault the hotel intent on killing him. Price catches up with Makarov, preventing his escape by a helicopter by killing the pilots. As the chopper crashes in the ensuing chaos, Makarov beats Price to his Desert Eagle and nearly kills him. He is then shot by Yuri, who in turn is killed by him. This buys Price enough time to beat Makarov down, wrap a cord around his neck and force him through the glass roof, shredding and hanging him at the same time.
Viktor - Status-KIA. One of the terrorists in the airport, in "No Russian." He is killed by the HVI during the events of "Exodus".
Anatoly - Status-Alive. Another terrorist in "No Russian." He is one of the getaway drivers.
Lev - Status-KIA. One of the terrorists in "No Russian." He was killed by the FSB on the runway.
Kiril - Status-KIA. Assists Makarov in the terrorist attack. He is killed by the FSB.
Makarov's Driver - Status-Alive. Another terrorist in "No Russian." He is the Ambulance driver. However he cannot be seen unless the player uses "noclip" to see him in the driver's seat.
Volk - Status-Alive. German bomb-maker. Hiding in Paris, a large land battle was fought to ensure his safety for interrogation. Responsible for dealings with Waraabe and for chemicals released in Paris and London.
Yuri - Status-KIA. A former recruit and friend of the Ultranationalists. Yuri attempted to stop Makarov's airport massacre but was instead shot and left for dead. Makarov would later be wounded by Yuri, only to get a few fatal shots on his former friend.
2001 - To start off Makarov's reign of terror Imran Zakhaev orders Makarov to bomb a Moscow city bus. The mission succeeded and killed 29 people and injured 19 more.
2001 - Used a modified London Underground train filled with explosives to bomb Piccadilly Circus, killing 407.
2001 - Massacre at GUM mall in Moscow, 87 dead.
2002 - Hijack of Greek oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea. Greek Navy boarding party along with 2 crew members killed before $3 million ransom is paid.
2002 - Murder of 3 Russian infantry soldiers.
2003 - Repression of North Caucasus-based, pro-Western nationalist groups. Assassinations of political leaders, arson and bombing of opposition parties. Murder of Moscow-based journalist Ilya Lovitch, who was investigating political crimes in the region.
2003 - Bombing of several high Government buildings in Kazakhstan, 245 dead.
2003 - Commander of two Kreigler Airliner hijackings, 378 dead, including 8 of his own men.
2004 - Robbed an HBS bank in Istanbul.
2004 - Kidnapping of 15 college students from Russia, 5 dead.
2004 - Bombing of two embassies in Africa, 28 dead 48 injured.
2005 - Hold-up of bullion trucks in Moscow, stole 3 million rubles. 3 security guards dead.
2005 - Hijacking of cruise ship in the Baltic Sea, tortured US passengers until $5 million ransom is paid.
2006 - Robbed the Russian State Postal and Banking Service Depot of 32 million rubles.
2006 - Murder of famous British designer Rob Millington.
2006 - Murder of 3 US airmen based in Turkmenistan.
2006 - Helped coordinate attacks by Janjaweed militias and Sudanese military against rebels. Implicated in human rights abuse.
2007 - Capture and beheading of Mossad attache to Ukraine who was investigating Makarov's links to Islamic extremists.
2007 - Assassination of Pakistani politician Hasni Al'Bura.
2008 - A Swedish furniture store in a shopping mall located in St. Petersburg is bombed, 100 dead.
2008 - FSB vehicle ambushed, 5 agents dead.
2008 - Abduction and murder of SibGaz owner's wife and daughter.
2009 - The offices of a U.S. oil company in Baku were bombed, 3 people dead.
2009 - Bomb plot against English-speaking school in Moscow foiled.
2009 - Soccer stadium in Moscow is rigged with explosives. Authorities burst a pipe to halt the match, denying publicity to Makarov.
2009 - Trafficking of over $2,100,000 worth of weapons, drugs, and people.
Operations in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Kosovo (No Russian cutscene).
2011 - Detonates a nuclear device, killing 30,000 U.S. Marines and countless others.
Not much was known about Yuri until the revelations of Blood Brothers,Yuri served in the Spetsnaz and was considered to be "young and patriotic" during the 1990s. His idealism caught the interest of Imran Zakhaev and Vladimir Makarov, eventually befriending the latter. Yuri served in the Ultranationalist party primarily escorting Makarov throughout the crisis. During One Shot, One Kill, Yuri and Makarov were in one of the vehicles during the exchange with Zakhaev after John Price's assassination attempt in Pripyat, Ukraine. He and Makarov helped escort Zakhaev after his arm was dismembered. During the events of Shock and Awe, Yuri was present standing next to Makarov when he detonated the nuclear device in the Middle East. However, the events Yuri had experienced made him uneasy about his affiliation with the Ultranationalists.
When Yuri had learned of Makarov's plans to conduct a massacre at the Airport, Yuri had attempted to stop it, possibly assisting Joseph Allen's undercover operation. However, Makarov had learned of Yuri's betrayal and shoots him in the process, leaving him for dead. A wounded Yuri attempts to pursue Makarov's team and intervene, but passes out from blood loss, being treated by paramedics that arrived on the scene. This event alone drove Yuri to have a strong hatred of MakYuri concept art.
Starting from the events of Persona Non Grata, Yuri was introduced to Price under dangerous circumstances. Soap was wounded and needed evacuation from the safehouse in India. Yuri aids Price and Nikolai in treating Soap's injuries, as well as facilitating their extraction out of the country. Having knowledge of Makarov's patterns, but not revealing his true nature to the pair, Yuri would point out possible locations Makarov would go to, mainly the location of Makarov's arms deals in Sierra Leone, as well as speculating Makarov's security detail. Yuri helped facilitate the relaying of intelligence acquired from his missions with Soap and Price to their allies until getting their lead on his location in Prague.
Acting on intelligence given by Team Metal, Price, Soap,Yuri, and Kamarov organize a local resistance to facilitate their infiltration for Hotel Lustig. Yuri spent the majority of the mission partnered up with Soap, providing support for Price in the cover of a church overlooking the Hotel Lustig. However, the assassination mission goes south, with Makarov having suspected Yuri's presence (mainly because Soap saw Makarov looking right at him) and detonating bombs on Price, Soap, and Yuri. Soap pushes Yuri out of a window to save him, and Soap caught on to Makarov's knowledge of Yuri. Yuri aids Price in rushing Soap to a nearby safehouse, only for Soap to reveal Makarov's knowledge of Yuri to Price seconds before his death. Enraged, Price punches Yuri down a flight of stairs, where Yuri reveals his former allegiance to the Ultranationalists until the events of No Russian. Convinced of his regret, Price reluctantly keeps his alliance with Yuri.
Yuri gives Price the location of a potential headquarters located in a fortress in Prague. However, during their infiltration, they instead find intelligence that Makarov's men found Boris Vorshevsky's daughter in Berlin. The pair relay the intelligence to Team Metal shortly after the base's destruction. Despite Team Metal's efforts, the daughter was kidnapped and tracked to a diamond mine in Siberia during Down the Rabbit Hole. At this point, Price and Yuri conduct a joint operation with Team Metal in saving the Vorshevskys. They are successful in the extraction, but Team Metal perishes in the process from the collapsing of a mine, facilitating a wounded Yuri's extraction. Despite this, Yuri and Price's efforts have ensured peace talks between the United States and Russia.
Despite the end of the war, Yuri accompanies Price in the Arabian Peninsula after having successfully tracked down Makarov in the Hotel Oasis. Yuri gets wounded by a piece of rebar when an airstrike obliterates part of the hotel, telling Price to continue the mission without him. Yuri manages to free himself and is barely lucky in saving Price from Makarov's execution. However, Yuri is shot repeatedly in the chest and head by his former friend, thus killing him. however, Yuri's death buys Price much needed time to kill Makarov.
In events before the mission "Blackout," Nikolai has been detained by the Ultranationalists under suspicion of espionage. The SAS team under Captain Price must find and rescue him before he is executed. He had been informing the British from the Ultranationalist camp until his cover was blown. He helped to start the entire chain of events in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, as it was he that supplied the intel for the cargo ship mission.
In "Hunted," the Black Hawk carrying the extracted team is shot down over hostile territory, and he is forced to fight alongside the team with only the AK-74u he has been found with. Finally, under cover of AC-130 fire, Nikolai is evacuated by a second helicopter airlift to a safe house in Hamburg, and his last mention in the game is a loading cutscene in which he sends the SAS the coordinates to Khaled Al-Asad's safehouse in Azerbaijan.
Nikolai plays a bigger role in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 than in its prequel, and he is quite adept at flying and driving multiple vehicles, though it is unknown how he has acquired them. He appears to be a mercenary pilot.
In "The Hornet's Nest," the stranded Task Force 141 team is left without a helicopter, since the U.S. has been barred from entering Brazilian airspace and the invasion has overwhelmed civilian communications. Captain MacTavish calls Nikolai to come rescue the team. Nikolai arrives in a Pave Low, but heavy RPG fire makes the landing zone too "hot," or dangerous. Soap orders Nikolai to wave off, as the team should be able find a secondary extraction point. Roach, when running and keeping up with the Task Force, falls from the rooftops, further delaying the exit. Roach quickly rushes throughout the favela, evading enemy forces, reaching the rooftops, and making it to the helicopter.
In "The Enemy Of My Enemy," Nikolai extracts Price and Soap from the Boneyard under fire in a C-130 Hercules as they drive their jeep into the cargo hold of the plane. Nikolai then drops off Price and Soap at Site Hotel Bravo in "Just Like Old Times," but despite having been told that it is a one-way flight, he returns to rescue the two in "Endgame" with a Little Bird.
Hours after successfully killing Shepherd, Nikolai brings them to Loyalists safehouse in Himanchal Pradesh, India to provide Soap much needed medical attention. However, Makarov, aware of Shepherd's demise, sends his clean up team to eliminate the remains of Task Force 141. Despite their overwhelming numbers, both Task Force 141 and Loyalists survive the assault with the help of a newfound ally, Yuri. Controlling an unmanned ground vehicle, Yuri manages to wipe out the remains of Makarov's men, allowing everyone to escape.
In Back on the Grid, Nikolai provides the team much needed information to track down Makarov's package in Sierra Leone. Despite their best effort, Makarov manages to flee along with their much wanted package. The package is later revealed to be contain chemical weapons, which are distributed throughout Europe and become part of Makarov's own version of blitzkrieg. These attacks claim thousands of life, including members of security force such as SAS and GIGN, mentioned in a Goalpost cutscene. With chaos erupting in Europe, Russia invades them while they still try to recover. In Return to Sender, Nikolai aids Price, Soap and Yuri in assaulting African warlord, Waraabe in Bossaso, Somalia. However, during their attempt to escape, Waraabe's men shoot down his chopper. The team, along with the Loyalists, fight their way to the crash site to retrieve him in the midst of the sandstorm, allowing them to escape. Following their successful interrogation on Waraabe, Price relays the intel back to Sandman, leading to the capture of Volk in Bag and Drag and Iron Lady.
Nikolai makes his last appearance in Dust to Dust, assisting Price and Yuri in assasinating Makarov. Here, he provide technical assistance to the duo by controlling the lift and feeding information about Makarov's security details. It is possible, moments after Makarov's death, Nikolai may have been arrested along with Price. However, it is unlikely, as their credentials and immunities have been restored following the events of Down the Rabbit Hole. Both Price and Nikolai may escape prosecution, clearing their good name once and for all.
Not much is known about Soap's early life except he was born Roman Catholic (as seen on his dog tags). He is from Scotland, implied by his distinctive accent and confirmed by the Scottish flag seen in the same cutscenes as his dog tags in Modern Warfare 3.
In the cutscene for Modern Warfare 3's mission "Stronghold", a combat knife holding up Soap's dog tags can be seen with the Latin "Per Mare, Per Terram" (By Sea, By Land) - the motto of the Royal Marines - scrolled on the blade suggesting he once served as a Royal Marine Commando (possibly in 45 Commando, based in Arbroath in the United Kingdom).
— An SAS trooper referring to "Soap" MacTavish while talking to Price.
"Soap" begins his SAS career hours before the six-day global war begins. Initially, Soap starts out as a Sergeant, unusual in that newcomers to the SAS are usually demoted to Trooper, fresh out of Selection. Whilst in the SAS's training camp in Credenhill, UK, Soap Soap in F.N.G practicing for the mission Crew Expendable received a quick training session in weapons and techniques by a fellow SAS member Gaz, before being introduced to Captain Price and the rest of Bravo Team. He is referred to as, "the F.N.G." by Gaz. After passing the C.Q.B. test, Soap is briefed on the mission to infiltrate and assault a cargo ship in the Bering Strait. On board the ship, they discover a nuclear bomb bound for Russia, though enemy MiGs interrupt their investigations, and Soap barely escapes with his life. In the process of escaping the doomed vessel, Soap was forced to leap for the ramp of the team's helicopter, just as it was beginning to fly away. However, he lost his grip and, mere seconds before he was bound to fall off the vehicle, was rescued by Captain Price.
Upon completing the mission, Soap, Price and Gaztravel to the Caucasus Mountains in Russia to extract the informant who supplied them with the intelligence for the cargo ship, a man codenamed "Nikolai". Working in close conjunction with Russian government Loyalists led by Sergeant Kamarov, they successfully locate and extract Nikolai from the battle zone, though their helicopter is shot down by an Ultranationalist surface-to-air missile. Bravo Team, Nikolai and another SAS operator are forced to fight their way through enemy lines, before being provided with support from an AC-130H Spectre Gunship, call-signed "Wildfire." They are extracted by helicopters under cover of heavy air support from Wildfire.
Soap's next mission with Bravo Team would take him to Azerbaijan, clearing through an abandoned village in search of Khaled Al-Asad. Upon locating him, Soap witnessed Al-Asad's interrogation and execution at the hands of Captain Price, learning that Imran Zakhaev had been Al-Asad's weapons supplier. The next day, it appears Soap was designated the team's support man, being equipped with both an M249 and M21 sniper rifle. He was placed in charge of covering the team's retreat with the Minigun from a downed Black Hawk (destroying several UltranationalistHelicopters in the process) and detonating the explosive charges placed at Phase Line Bravo. Afterwards, he was the point man when the squad had to backtrack to the lower part of the village due to heavy coverage of Anti Aircraft weapons in the vicinity. Following this, Soap and the rest of Bravo Team were extracted by US Marines led by Staff Sergeant Griggs.
MacTavish's final mission in the Russian civil war saw him infiltrating Russia as part of the joint task force of US Marines and SAS operators in order to eliminate Imran Zakhaev's nuclear capability. After grouping with US forces, Soap and his allies proceeded to enter a Ultranationalist outpost and secure it, as part of plan to capture Zakhaev's son, Victor Zakhaev. After a few hours, a convoy arrives in the outpost, led by Victor himself. Bravo Team, disguised as Russian guards, allow Victor to enter the facility, though quickly reveal their true intentions and attack his forces. During the battle that followed, Soap and Griggs provided sniper support for the rest of the team from a high tower. However, Victor Zakhaev rams his jeep into one of the legs of the tower, sending it tumbling to the ground, providing the perfect distraction to get away. Stunned, Soap was unable to take down Victor before he could get away. After chasing him through a small village, and a five story building, Soap and the rest of the team corner Victor. Knowing there's no where to run and unwilling to be captured, Victor committed suicide before Soap could take away his weapon.
Angered at his son's death, Zakhaev threatened to launch nuclear missiles at the East Coast of America if US and British forces did not withdraw from Russia. In order to handicap Zakhaev's nuclear threat, Soap, Price, Gaz, Griggs, and several other SAS members parachuted into the Altay Mountains in order to reach his launch facility. However, their mission was delayed by Griggs' separation and subsequent capture. After eventually locating and recovering him, Soap planted a set of C4 on a power tower, destroying the electricity supply to the facility. Following this, the team regrouped with US snipers before witnessing a double nuclear missile launch at Zakhaev's hands. Entering the facility, the team furiously fought against time to reach the launch control center, and eventually deactivated the missiles. However, the team was unable to prevent Zakhaev's escape, and he managed to depart the facility before anything could be done. The group then attempted to escape, with Soap provided all-around covering fire for their jeep as they made their way to the extraction site. However, Zakhaev's Mi-24 Hind damaged the bridge, forcing Soap and his companions to fight their way on their own.
Fighting fiercely at the bridge in a massive penultimate battle, Soap was thrown to the ground and severely injured by an exploding oil truck. He was pulled into cover by Sgt. Griggs, moments before Griggs himself was killed. He then watched helplessly as Imran Zakhaev and his bodyguards executed Gaz and two other SAS operatives. Just as all hope seemed lost, a Loyalist Mi-28 gunship destroyed the UltranationalistMi-24 Hind, forcing Zakhaev and his henchmen to turn away their attention from Soap and open fire on the helicopter. A heavily wounded Price slid Soap his M1911 pistol, which Soap used to kill Zakhaev and two of his bodyguards.
Moments later, Loyalist forces flooded the scene and Kamarov came to Soap's aid, placing him onto a stretcher, assuring him that he will be alright. Soap passed out during the middle of extraction, though survived his wounds alongside Price.
As seen in his journal (within the Hardened Edition of Modern Warfare 3), Soap recuperated in Russia and began to suffer from PTSD, believing it was his fault that Griggs, Gaz and the others had died in the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare mission "Game Over" feeling guilty that he had survived. He does take some comfort in having killed Zakhaev, saying it makes it worthwhile. He was also under the impression that Price had perished alongside the others.
Nikolai tried to console his friend by bringing women and friends to comfort him further but it didn't do much; he found himself pushing his body harder and harder to become stronger and continue the fight and obsessing over Price's M1911 pistol.
On return to Credenhill, MacTavish began running the Obstical course with selection candidates and began to enjoy it because it took his mind off what had happened, spending most of his time in an exhausted daze fueled further by morphine.
In his spare time, he started to go to the race courses because Price loved it, but it only made him feel empty saying "Even if [his horse, MacGregor] had won, jumped the fence, done a 360°, and kicked the queen in the face, I can't say would've flinched". After this, he bought a box of Villa Clara's, Price's favourite cigars, commenting that Price had "good taste".
Soon after, U.S. General Shepherd contacted Soap and asked him to lead an elite task force to kill Makarov. Soap took an instant liking to Shepherd, seeing resemblances between himself and the General. Thus MW2's storyline begins.
On October 8th, 2013, a joint Task Force 141/Delta Force operation codenamed Operation Kingfish was launched, with just Price, Soap, Simon "Ghost" Riley, and Delta Operator Sandman.
During the next five years after the events of the civil war, MacTavish was rising in the SAS taking part in an unknown number of operations throughout the world. It was during these five years MacTavish would be promoted to Lieutenant and eventually promoted to the rank of Captain, and was also recruited into the elite Task Force 141, comprised of only the best and most experienced special operations soldiers. By 2016, MacTavish had become the task force's field commander, leading the 141's operations with Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley and Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson under his command. MacTavish evidently did not reveal his SAS nickname to any of the members, hinted in the mission "The Gulag" where Price is rescued by the Task Force 141 and exclaims "Soap?", followed by Worm asking, "Who's Soap?".
When the Russians get their hands on a downed US satellite, MacTavish and Sanderson are sent to infiltrate a Russian airbase to recover an ACS module within the Tian Shan mountain range in Kazakhstan. After scaling the mountain and sneaking through base, the two recover the module inside a hangar. However, they are quickly compromised by Major Petrov and his forces. MacTavish tells Roach to go to Plan B. In a daring escape, Roach and MacTavish fight their way out of the base and commandeer snowmobiles, leading to a thrilling chase down the mountainside to the awaiting evacuation team.Soap climbing the mountain. This is also a good shot of Captain Price's M1911.
Shortly after the mission in Kazakhstan, MacTavish led Task Force 141 into Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to captureRojas, an arms dealer who had supplied the Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov during his assault on Zakhaev International Airport. While Soap and Ghost interrogated Rojas' right-hand man, Roach and two other task force members (Royce & Meat) went into the favela in search of Rojas. The two are killed in the fighting, leaving Roach to tackle the favela by himself. Roach fights his way through, eventually linking up with MacTavish and Ghost, whom have just captured Rojas. However, they only managed to learn from Captain MacTavish during The Hornet's Nest
Rojas is that Makarov has a strong hatred for Prisoner 627 in a Russian gulag.
Due to the surprise invasion of the United States, the airspace around Brazil is locked down, leaving the task force stranded in the middle of enemy territory. In order to escape, MacTavish calls in Nikolai, whom Soap had saved during the events of the Second Russian Civil War. Surrounded by militia, the task force fights its way to a market, where Nikolai was supposed to pick them up in a helicopter. However, due to the fire from the militia he is forced to the secondary extraction point. During the escape, Roach is nearly left behind when he falls off a rooftop. However, he makes his way back to the top, militia in tow, and makes it aboard the helicopter.
Shortly after being extracted from South America, the Navy SEALs and Task Force 141 initiated a two-stage operation. The first stage being to secure a modified oil platform in order to disable SAM sites on the platform, and the second phase to infiltrate the prison itself. After infiltrating the prison, MacTavish led his troops through the Russian gulag, and eventually reach Prisoner 627, who turns out to be none other than Captain Price. Although Price is at first hostile towards Roach (thinking that HE was one of the Russians), he rejoins after recognizing Soap, and the squad manages to extract (via SPIE rig) from the gulag before it explodes. During this time, MacTavish returns Price's M1911 pistol he used to kill Imran Zakhaev five years ago. Soap fires a flare to signal immediate evacuation.
Task Force 141 then headed into Petropavlovsk, Russia, seemingly on a mission to destroy a submarine. During the course of the mission, Roach facilitated Price's infiltration inside a submarine by providing Predator drone support. However, in a sudden twist of events, Price used the submarine to launch a nuclear missile, using it as an EMP to hinder the Russian's attack on America.
After the events of the nuclear launch, Task Force 141 was split up to investigate two locations, with Price and MacTavish investigating an arms deal in Afghanistan, while Ghost and Roach and the bulk of the task force investigate one of Makarov's safe-houses in Russia. Price and MacTavish are attacked by Shepherd's men and attempt to warn Ghost and Roach, only to be too late in the process. Soap and Price manage to escape the aircraft graveyard with the help of Nikolai while getting some intelligence from Makarov, focusing on killing Shepherd.
The two then pursue Shepherd through Afghanistan, fighting through his Shadow Company and into Site Hotel Bravo. They then prevent Shepherd's escape by shooting down the general's Pave Low where they eventually corner him and attempt to kill him. However, as MacTavish attempts to stab Shepherd, the latter disarms Soap, slams his head into a broken down car (thus knocking him to the ground) and impales him with Soap's knife. Before Shepherd could execute Soap with a .44 Magnum, however, Price tackles Shepherd, causing him to drop the gun. As Soap crawls towards it, Shepherd manages to push Price away from him, kicking the .44 Magnum away and stomping Soap's head. Price and Shepherd then engage in a long, brutal hand-to-hand fight that Soap can see as he drifts in and out of consciousness, with Shepherd eventually gaining the upper hand. However Soap, now awake, manages to gather what little strength he had left to get the knife out of his chest, and throws it into Shepherd's left eye, killing the traitorous general in seconds. Price, who had been punched unconscious, awakens, pushing Shepherd´s body off of him. Seeing Soap's mangled state, Price then comes to his aid and the two are evacuated by Nikolai, who arrives in a MH-6 Little Bird, even though told by Price that it was "a one way trip". During the course of Shepherd's betrayal, Soap and Price were labeled as international fugitives, and were on the run following their victory over Shepherd.
Shortly after his victory over General Shepherd, Soap's recent wounds had him slowly dying on the trip to Nikolai's safehouse in India. To make matters worse, a large group of Makarov's men assaulted the safehouse in an attempt to kill the remnants of Task Force 141. Soap's survival would not have happened had it not been for the actions of Price, Nikolai, and newfound ally Yuri during the events of Persona Non Grata.
Months after his recovery, Soap accompanies Price and Yuri on missions in Sierra Leone and Somalia in pursuit of Makarov. In Back on the Grid, the group follows up on Yuri's suspicions about Makarov's weapon shipments in Sierra Leone, and learn that the recent cargo Makarov's men retrieved were chemical weapons being shipped to Paris, Berlin, and London. Shortly after the wave of chemical attacks, intelligence from MacMillan leads the team to a local warlord in Somalia during the events of Return to Sender, where Soap assists Price in interrogating a local warlord on intel about Makarov. The intelligence facilitates Team Metal's apprehension of Volk during the events of Bag and Drag and Iron Lady.
The acquired intelligence from Team Metal leads Price, Soap, and Yuri to Makarov's location in Prague during the events of Eye of the Storm and Blood Brothers. With aid from Kamarov, Price, Soap, and Yuri use the distraction of the local resistance to their advantage to reach their assigned spots at the Hotel Lustig. Price would infiltrate the Hotel Lustig while Soap and Yuri provide cover with their sniper rifles. However, Makarov caught wind of the assassination attempt and detonates the bombs planted on Kamarov and the church Soap and Yuri were occupying. Price mourning over Soap's lifeless body.
Soap pushes Yuri out the window to save him, but gets caught in the blast radius, accompanied by suffering from a long fall. Before the detonation, Soap briefly learns of Yuri's then unknown acquaintance with Makarov. Price and Yuri desperately rush Soap to a nearby resistance safehouse, where Soap relays the recent revelation to Price before dying. Soap's death fuels Price's vengeance against Makarov, even after the end of the conflict between the United States and Russia. Soap's name, John MacTavish, was later inscribed on the Hereford clocktower honoring fallen S.A.S. veterans.
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