---
title: "Starship Troopers: Extermination: Complete Guide"
game: "Starship Troopers: Extermination"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/starship-troopers-extermination"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Builds", "Maps", "Classes"]
summary: "A trooper's guide to Starship Troopers: Extermination: the six classes, every game mode, base building that actually holds, the bugs you will face, how progression works, and what Update 12 (X-11) and the upcoming…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/starship-troopers-extermination-complete-guide-91982cb5"
published: "2026-09-27T20:49:40.450Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T20:49:40.450Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Starship Troopers: Extermination: Complete Guide

A trooper's guide to Starship Troopers: Extermination: the six classes, every game mode, base building that actually holds, the bugs you will face, how progression works, and what Update 12 (X-11) and the upcoming Update 13 change.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of Update 12 Hotfix 1 (August 21, 2026); Update 13 is announced for October 2026. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Quick Start

1. **This is a 16-player co-op game.** Squads work together across one big map. Stick with your squad and follow pings; lone wolves die.
2. **Pick a class that fills a gap.** Six classes: Ranger, Sniper, Demolisher, Guardian, Engineer, and Medic. A lobby with no Engineers cannot build well, and one without Medics bleeds troopers.
3. **Build before the wave, not during it.** Walls, towers, and ammo stations only help if they are up before the swarm arrives. Use the ping system to coordinate what goes where.
4. **Ammo is a logistics problem.** Build ammo stations near defensive positions and learn where your team's resupply is.
5. **The Carnage System changes the battlefield.** Bug corpses pile up and become physical terrain. Big piles can create ramps over your walls, so clear or shape them.
6. **Watch the environment.** Sandstorms on Valaka, volcanic hazards on Agni Prime, and dynamic weather and time of day all affect visibility and routes.
7. **Take the Field Shower seriously.** Added in Update 11, it extinguishes burning troopers, cleans off gore, restores health, and a full shower gives a short boost to movement, jumping, climbing, accuracy, and Morale XP.
8. **Do daily missions.** Update 11 added daily missions; they are an easy source of progression every session.

## Classes

| Class | Role | What they do best |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger | Assault infantry | Fast jetpack movement, close-quarters combat, scouting and hit-and-run; the tip of the spear |
| Sniper | Marksman and recon | Long-range fire support with jump jets for high positions; picks off priority bugs |
| Demolisher | Explosives specialist | Area-of-effect destruction; clears swarms and armoured targets |
| Guardian | Heavy defence | Anchors the front line with the Morita MK3 SAW; Siege Mode trades mobility for defence and weapon stability |
| Engineer | Support and logistics | Builds, maintains, and repairs structures; backbone of any defence |
| Medic | Support and healing | Medical UAV drone and stim-launchers for healing and long-distance revives |

**Which class for new players?**
- **Ranger** if you want to shoot bugs and learn the maps.
- **Engineer** if you want to be useful immediately; teams always need builders.
- **Medic** if you like support play; revives swing matches.

**Class tips:**
- **Ranger:** use the jetpack to reposition, not just to escape. Cover objectives the defence cannot reach.
- **Sniper:** get high, call targets, and focus elite bugs. Tiger Elites and other priority targets are your job.
- **Demolisher:** save your big explosives for dense packs at chokepoints and for tough bugs.
- **Guardian:** plant in Siege Mode where the wall is weakest. Do not wander.
- **Engineer:** build walls to funnel bugs into kill zones, then towers and ammo stations behind them. Repair between waves.
- **Medic:** position behind the line with sightlines on the whole squad. Long-distance revives mean you do not need to run into the swarm.

## Game Modes

| Mode | Objective |
|---|---|
| AAS (Advance and Secure) | Complete missions, gather resources, and build defendable bases against bug attacks |
| ARC | Collect ore and gas to power the ARC structure while defending it from waves |
| Horde | Defend a mobile HQ (MHQ) through ten increasingly difficult waves |
| Hive Hunt | Infiltrate bug hives, deploy T.O.A.D canisters to destroy them, then reach extraction |
| S.O.G. missions | Mission-based operations (the patch notes reference S.O.G. missions on Agni Prime) |

Per Wikipedia, the game also includes a single-player campaign of 25 missions featuring Casper Van Dien as an older General Rico.

### AAS tips
- Split the team: builders at the base site, escorts with the resource runs, and a mobile squad for side objectives.
- Refineries and resource gathering fuel your building; protect them.
- Hold a clear retreat line to the base when the big wave comes.

### ARC tips
- Ore and gas runs are the heartbeat of ARC. Escort resource carriers.
- Build the defensive ring before the ARC's later power stages, when waves intensify.
- Use the new X-11 ARC build zone to learn a fresh layout (added in Update 12).

### Horde tips
- Build a layered defence around the MHQ: outer walls to slow, inner walls to hold.
- Stockpile ammo near the MHQ; do not run for resupply mid-wave.
- Since Update 1.10.3, Horde waits for navigation to initialise before the first phase starts, so the first build phase can take a few minutes. Use it.

### Hive Hunt tips
- Travel as a tight group through tunnels; bugs come from every side.
- Protect whoever is carrying and placing T.O.A.D canisters.
- Save a bit of ammo and health for the extraction run.

## Planets and Maps

| Planet | Notes |
|---|---|
| Valaka | Blinding sandstorms reduce visibility |
| Agni Prime | Volcanic hazards and hellfire |
| Planet X-11 | A lonely asteroid outpost; nearly doubled in size in Update 12 |
| Boreas | Has its own cosmetic pack in the Sky Marshal Edition bundle; check the in-game mission select for current availability |

### What Update 12 added to X-11 (August 20, 2026)
- New areas: a tunnel network with abandoned research labs and bug cages, the Terrarium (a replicated biosphere used for Arachnid research), the Weather Station (Federation tech for managing X-11's sudden environmental changes), and the Quarry (a large excavation area with room for a new base location).
- New missions: 3 AAS, 1 ARC, 1 Horde, and 1 Hive Hunt.
- The Galactic Front returns with X-11 as its focus, bringing new Perks and the Morita 3.
- Hotfix 1 (August 21) fixed navigation in the X-11 Quarry tunnel, floating MHQ screens in Horde, the Toxic Sunrise Supporter Pack not unlocking on Steam, and Galactic Front localisation.

## Enemies

Bug types documented for the game include Drone, Warrior, Gunner, Plasma Grenadier, and Tiger Elite variants, plus bosses and new types added across updates.

| Bug | How to handle it |
|---|---|
| Drones and Warriors | Swarm infantry. Walls and focused fire; don't let them surround you |
| Gunners | Ranged threat; use cover and prioritise them before they wear down defenders |
| Plasma Grenadiers | Long-range plasma threat; hunt them before they hit your base |
| Tiger Elites | Tough elite bugs; focus fire from Snipers and Demolishers |

**Coming in Update 13 (October 2026):** the Hopper Bug, an aerial Arachnid threat, plus Camp Rasczak, an expanded and revamped Building Tutorial.

## Base Building

The core rule: **walls funnel, towers kill, ammo sustains.**

1. **Scout the approach** with a Ranger or Sniper to see where bugs come from.
2. **Engineers place walls** to create chokepoints; leave a single kill zone.
3. **Towers and defences** go behind walls with overlapping fields of fire.
4. **Ammo stations** go behind the main line so defenders never leave position.
5. **Field Shower** near the base for healing and the post-shower combat boost.
6. **Repair between waves.** Damaged walls fail at the worst moment.

**Carnage System tips:** bug corpses persist as terrain. Over a long defence, corpse piles in front of walls can let bugs climb over. Use explosives to clear piles or build a second wall line further back.

## Progression

- **Class progression:** each class has its own progression, unlocking weapons, equipment, and specialised perks.
- **Weapon mods:** Update 11 added more weapon mods; experiment to fit your role.
- **Daily missions** and **Galactic Front** events provide extra rewards and unlocks.
- **Double XP** events run during sales (for example, during the 2026 Steam Summer Sale).
- **Utility items:** support gear like the Stim Dart and Scan Dart pistols scale with perks such as Utility Utilization and Utility Satchel (fixed in 1.10.3).

## Editions and DLC

The **Sky Marshal Edition** bundles the base game with year-one DLC: Sparta Supporter Pack, Valaka Cosmetic Pack, Agni Prime Supporter Pack, Planet X-11 Cosmetic Pack, Boreas Cosmetic Pack, Stinging Fury Supporter Pack, and Warrior Supporter Pack. These packs are cosmetic and supporter content; the base game has all modes.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Running off solo.** You will get overwhelmed and cost your team a revive.
- **Building walls with no kill zone.** Bugs must be funnelled somewhere your team can shoot.
- **Forgetting ammo logistics.** Defenders who run back for ammo leave holes.
- **Ignoring corpse piles.** The Carnage System can turn your wall into a ramp.
- **Everyone picking Ranger.** Balance your squad with builders and healers.
- **Wasting explosives** on single weak bugs.

## Advanced Tips

- **Ping everything.** Coordinated build pings make 16 players act like a team.
- **Rotate Guardians** in Siege Mode at the weakest wall while Engineers repair behind them.
- **Snipers call elites** early so Demolishers can prepare.
- **Plan for weather and night.** Visibility drops, so tighten your defensive perimeter before dark or a storm rolls in.
- **Use Field Showers before big waves** to get the accuracy and movement boost.
- **Report performance issues with the Server ID** now shown on the scoreboard (added in 1.10.3).
- **Server maintenance:** matchmaking runs on Epic Online Services. Scheduled EOS outages (for example, September 22, 2026 at 6am UTC for up to 90 minutes) disconnect sessions.

## FAQ

**Is Starship Troopers: Extermination still being updated?**
Yes. Update 12 arrived August 20, 2026, and Update 13 is planned for October 2026 with the Hopper Bug and Camp Rasczak.

**Can I play solo?**
The core experience is co-op for up to 16 players, and the game also includes single-player campaign content.

**Which class should I play first?**
Ranger for mobility and learning maps, Engineer if you want to help your team win, or Medic for support.

**What is the Carnage System?**
Bug corpses stay on the battlefield as physical terrain, changing bug paths and sometimes letting them climb over walls.

**Is it crossplay?**
Yes. The Steam store page lists Cross-Platform Multiplayer, and the game is on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S (early access from May 17, 2023; full release October 2024), with sessions running on Epic Online Services.

**Is the Guardian's Siege Mode worth it?**
Yes, when holding a line. Per the store description it boosts defensive stats and weapon stability at the cost of mobility, turning the Guardian into a turret with the Morita MK3 SAW.

**What's in the Sky Marshal Edition?**
The base game plus all year-one DLC packs (mostly cosmetic and supporter packs).

## Sources

- [Steam store page: Starship Troopers: Extermination](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1268750/Starship_Troopers_Extermination/)
- [Steam news: Update 11, Update 12, Development Update August 2026, EOS outage](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1268750)
- [Wikipedia: Starship Troopers: Extermination](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers:_Extermination)