The Rules Directory only works if you help. Write a review. Get the review template here.

NOTE: Mongoose Publishing has recently announced that they are redesigning the rules. From their web site:

Starship Troopers is currently being revised and re-written, turning it into Starship Troopers v2, War of the Species!

The new game will feel much like the original, but is being completely revised for clarity and balance. The army lists will be available as a free PDF download, together with special rules (such as Tunnelling) that will make them fully compatible with both Battlefield Evolution: World at War and Modern Combat

TITLE: Starship Troopers V1 (2005)

AUTHOR: Andy Chambers

PUBLISHER: Mongoose Publishing

PUBLICATION DATE: 2005

WEB SITE/SUPPORT FORUM:

• Home page: Mongoose Publishing

PRICE (with date): $29.95 (in 2007)

REVIEWED BY: Mark “Extra Crispy” Severin

PERIOD COVERED:

• The Bug Wars (no dates given)

THE BOOK:

Starship Troopers (ST) came in two forms. There was a hardback book available separately, and a paperback included in a starter set for the game which also included miniatures, templates, etc. This review is based on the latter. The paperbound book runs 144 pages, and features full color throughout. It includes a table of contents, a good glossary and index, as well as army lists, plenty of background (aka fluff) and summary sheets. It is full color throughout and certainly provides plenty of visual inspiration!

SCOPE:

ST is a tactical game of man-vs-bug combat.

ARMY SIZE:

The game is largely points based, so armies may be of almost any size, though the Arachnids (aka “bugs”) feature hordes of Warrior bugs. A perfectly acceptable game would pit 10 human Mobile Infantry against 25 Warrior Arachnids. For the Arachnids, it is easily possible to “recycle” dead Warriors for later entry.

BASE UNIT:

Each unit represents a squad. Units are required to remain within a given range of their commander/leader. Most squads have about 5 models, which must include one leader.

GAME SCALES:

• Ground Scale: None given. A human soldier moves 4” per action with two actions per turn.
• Time Scale: None give.
• Figure/Base Ratio: 1 model = 1 soldier
• Recommended Figure Scale: 25mm Licensed Figures
• Table Size: As games can be based on points, a 3x3’ table is large enough for a modest fight. A 4x6’ table will give plenty of room for a large engagement.
• Game Length: 2+ Hours

BASING SIZES:

Units may be based or unbased. In ST each unit has a Size characteristic. For each Size a corresponding base size is given (these obviously match the bases included with the licensed figures).

TURN SEQUENCE:

The turn sequence is based on actions rather than phases. Each unit may perform two actions per turn. The player to move first selects a unit, performs two actions, then proceeds to the next unit. When he has completed all the actions he wishes to take, his opponent then does the same with his units. There is an exception however: if one of your units moves close enough to an enemy unit, that enemy unit may react (different units have different reaction options, including moving, shooting etc.). There are four actions: Move, Shoot, Ready, and Charge.

GAME MECHANICS:

Dice Used: The game uses a mix of ten and six sided dice.

Actions: Each turn, a unit may perform two actions. Those actions are:

• Move: Units are moved by moving the unit’s leader first. Then the remaining members of the unit are moved. They must remain within 6” of the unit leader. Some units have special movement – Mobile Infantry, for example, have a jet-pack “jump” move they can perform.
• Shoot: A unit selects a target within range and line of sight. This includes all kinds of weapons including firearms and area affect weapons.
• Charge: Just what it sounds like! A charging unit moves t pint blank range of an enemy unit and then engages in close combat.
• Ready: There are quite a few units in the army lists that have special abilities. Many of these special abilities require the unit to perform a Ready action first. Units that perform a Ready are then marked Ready. They lose their Ready status if the react or perform an action. A unit performing a Ready may not do anything else.

Size Characteristic: One interesting nuance to the rules is the Size characteristic. Each model and piece of terrain in the game has a certain Size. Size matters (!) for both movement and close combat. In movement, if terrain being moved through has a larger size than the model, the model moves at half speed. Impassable terrain is likewise impassable only to units the same size or smaller. So a Size 3 bug may move through a piece of Size 2 impassable terrain!

Shooting: For shooting, the firing unit selects a model in the target unit. This determines LOS and range. It also determines the Fire Zone. All weapons have a Fire Zone – in reality an area of effect. The firepower of the firing unit thus affects targets only within that Fire Zone. This applies to all weapons including rifles. Firing units may also split their fire to create more than one Fire Zone. Each weapon has a rating for how many Damage Dice it rolls. Total all the damage dice for the given Fire Zone and record hits. A hit is scored when the roll on the Damage Dice meets or exceeds the enemy’s Target rating. Once hits are determined they are allocated to each enemy model within the Fire Zone. In most cases one hit kills an enemy. A few units in the game take more than one hit to kill. Also, some units get a Dodge Save or Armor Save. Models which make a successful Armor Save “flinch.” A flinch is essentially just a 2” retreat. Units in cover do not Flinch. Also, certain units types ignore Flinches as well.

Artillery Fire: ST includes rules for artillery fire as well. There are a number of different types of weapons that may fire in this way. These kinds of weapons do not need an LOS, but have a minimum range as well as a maximum. As with Shooting, the firer selects a target, but in this case it may be a point on the battlefield and not necessarily an enemy model. The firer then declares whether a hit is made on odds or evens, and whether he is firing short or long. 2D6 are then rolled. If doubles come up and the numbers match the odds/evens call the result is a direct hit. Otherwise the target has been missed and scatter is rolled for. Once the final target point is known, the Fire Zone is determined. In this case the weapon’s damage dice are rolled against every model in the affected area.

Close Combat: Close Combat is the result of a Charge action. Close Combat is much the same as Shooting but there is no Fire Zone. The attacking unit rolls Close Combat dice against a specific enemy figure. Otherwise the combat resolution of hit, save and casualty removal is the same. At the conclusion of Close Combat the smaller units must Flinch away from their opponents.

Reactions: All models have a 10” reaction zone. When an enemy unit completes an action within 10” of a friendly model that model may react. Note that individual models react, not the entire unit. Reacting models may perform one action. If they choose to Shoot or Charge they must do so against the model that triggered the reaction. If they choose to Move or Ready, they may act freely. Some units also have special abilities they may use only in reaction as well.

Leaders: Leaders are the focus of each unit. The number and type of leaders in each unit is specified in the appropriate army lists. Each model in a unit must remain within command distance (typically 6”) of the leader. Models outside that range cannot perform actions (but may react normally). There are also rules covering battlefield promotions and ad-hoc unit formation.

ADVANCED RULES:

Also included are some advanced rules. They cover air units, Tunneling, Structures and Heroic Traits. The tunneling rules are especially fun, and allow the bugs to move through hidden underground tunnels. This makes for a very interesting twist on what can otherwise feel very much like a souped up Colonial game (British for the Mobile Infantry, Zulus for the bugs) and makes a fixed position much more dangerous.

ARMY LISTS/SCENARIOS:

The book includes a chapter called Engagements which has a process for setting up games. It also includes basic army lists and stats for the humans (Mobile Infantry), the Arachnids and the Skinnies. There is a points system for creating balanced scenarios (though the Engagements process does not simply match points – there is a graduated scale of points. The more points you get the harder your Victory Conditions…

REVIEWER’S COMMENTS:

ST is one of the nicest rulebooks I’ve read. Besides having a fun game, the rules are very well explained, lavishly illustrated, and contain long and numerous examples of play. There is also a very handy initial chapter called “Anatomy of a Game Turn” which is enough to run the game with (besides your weapon stats). The fluff is fun without being intrusive and the layout is clean and easy to read.

Note that this same basic engine has been used in versions for Near Future and World War Two combat.

PLAYER’S COMMENTS:

This is a fast and furious game, based on the three times I have played. Even with a couple squads of infantry against a bug horde it offered a lot more decision making than I would have first thought. I have really enjoyed it and think it is good engine for lots of skirmish settings. Simply draw up your weapon stats/army lists and have at it. In fact I am currently developing a “Them” scenario using World War 2 US Paratroopers and giant ants. I will simply swap the troopers for Mobile Infantry and the ants for Warrior bugs – no changes to the army lusts or weapon stats required!

[Home] [15mm World] [Reviews Home] [How To] [Beginners Guide] [Gamer's World] [Spanner & The Yank] [Points of View] [The Annex] [Links] [Say Howdy] [Corporate Schill] [Rules Directory]