Starship Troopers – Terran Command – Test, Tactics & Strategy

A satirical blockbuster

Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi blockbuster Starship Troopers is a cinematic masterpiece and rightly enjoys cult status. The loose literary adaptation stages the conflict between mankind, united in an authoritarian-fascist federation, and alien arachnids, called “bugs” for short by the soldiers of the mobile infantry. Behind a glossy action facade, which ostensibly celebrates militarism and the technological superiority of humans in brutal battles against the buggers, hides a biting satire on the US military-industrial complex. It is a criticism of a thoroughly militarized society – and questions the belief that peace can only be achieved with military superiority.

If you’re now wondering why I’m putting this film review before my review of Starship Troopers – Terran Command: Because in my opinion it makes a clear difference to the possible fun with Terran Command whether you’re a fan of the film or not. It is also important to understand what the original intention of Verhoeven’s classic was. After all, even the qualitatively difficult successor flicks somehow forgot that Starship Troopers is a satire and not a heroic military epic with aliens.

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The Belgian developers of The Artistocrats apparently took a very close look at the first film – and reproduce the superficially dull militarism with its nasty nuances excellently in their real-time strategy. In the simply but stylishly illustrated mission briefings of the 19 campaign missions, the mobile infantry’s heroic deeds are celebrated, even if they aren’t. The fight against the endless and almost invincible swarms of bugs is always downplayed. Somehow the mobile infantry is always on the verge of victory – and even heavy defeats of the earthly troops are mostly heroic casualties on the edge of the road to victory.

The downside of the bravery medal often shows up in the missions. When a “victory” against a gargantuan swarm of arachnids is actually more of a headless run. When officers refuse to sacrifice their soldiers senselessly and then disappear before courts-martial. Or when trade unionists are executed as traitors live on TV while I and my troops have to protect the base from a horde of bugs. Between the pseudo-heroic announcements of the combat troops and the inhuman orders of the supreme commanders, Terran Command hits exactly the satirical tone that I wish for from a game in the Starship Troopers universe.

Big trouble on Kwalasha

However, the story of Terran Command is rather negligible. The bugs are causing trouble on the mining planet Kwalasha and the Mobile Infantry is supposed to drive the Arachnids away from the important mining world. The scenario for 19 campaign missions is finished, in which halfway interesting figures such as a nasty scientist from the Terran secret service appear from time to time, but the story itself remains rather pale.

Overall, the campaign convinces more with its atmosphere and variety than with its plot. A nice pointer in the direction of the film is also the tutorial mission that takes place during the unsuccessful storm landing on Klendathu. This represents the Mobile Infantry’s first crushing defeat and is a key turning point in the screen adaptation.