Starship Troopers is a game of bug-hunting mayhem of such scope that it'd keep the combined Rentokil exterminator fleet busy for an eternity. There are big bugs, little bugs and downright nasty bugs. In fact downright nasty sums up the entirety of the Arachnid forces that you, a mere lieutenant in the Terran Federation's Mobile Infantry, will have to face. Here's a guide to the bugs you'll come across early on in the game.

Worker Bugs
Mere drones, these lowly creatures are more of a nuisance than a threat. Cautioned from the start to ignore them, you'll find such advice is well heeded. Workers will distract young, nervous troopers, who'll be tempted to loose off all their ammunition to no real gain. Shooting at workers also alerts their more vicious brethren, so watch those rookies - they may spoil your attempts to sneak up on your foe. Workers can also be a nuisance by placidly blocking narrow passages such as bridges and impeding the advance of your platoons. Use of extreme force may then be sanctioned.

Warrior Bugs
Don't bother to count how many of these soldier-caste bugs you kill - the body count will soon enter the hundreds. Fierce and relentless in the attack, the Arachnids' standard warrior bug is easily dispatched if it attacks alone. In groups, however, these bugs are a real threat, as weight of numbers may tell - and once they get in among your men, the Warriors' pincers and razor-sharp legs will tear them apart. Be careful when traversing seemingly innocuous terrain - Warrior bugs will excavate a new bug hole behind you in the twinkling of an eye and attack from behind.

Plasma Bugs
These behemoths pose little threat immediate to Mobile Infantry. Their weapons are designed instead to target off-planetary forces, such as starships. You may be dispatched on missions to remove plasma bugs from a planet's surface, clearing the way for a massive assault by other Terran Federation forces.

Tanker Bugs
Beware - it's easy to mistake an emerging tanker bug for the less immediately dangerous plasma bug. A tanker bug will burst from its underground lair and terminally immobilize a platoon in seconds, bathing it in a swathe of fire that makes the standard issue flame-thrower resemble little more than a flickering candle in a hurricane. Approach with care, spread out - and don't forget to call down artillery.

So that's what you're up against - tune in tomorrow for a look at the kind of troops you'll have at your disposal.