Starship Troopers: Extermination Basic Classes Guide

The Hunter utilizes unparalleled mobility (including a literal jet pack) to escape bad situations or reach high places no other class can, enabling them to easily identify and destroy priority targets (including some that no other class has the sightlines to see) before they become a problem for the ground crew. In addition, their higher run speed allows them to more quickly move around the map and respond to problems.

Once on a rooftop or other inaccessible position, the Hunter is immune to all bug attacks except those of the Grenadier and Gunner. These serve as both the counter to the Hunter, and exactly the sorts of targets the Hunter should be taking out. Due to the ballistic arcs Grenadier attacks take, it is entirely possible for a Grenadier to be destroying walls while fully protected from ground troopers by terrain features, so it is essential for rooftop Hunters to engage such targets.

The weakness of the Hunter is that it has a limited ability to support its allies on the ground when it is up high, and has a limited ability to benefit from its allies’ support abilities while up high (for example, a downed Hunter on a roof cannot be revived by an Operator’s medical drone).

In terms of progression, the Hunter arguably takes the longest of the three classes to hit its stride, as the Hawkeye is essential to its functionality yet is locked behind 11th level. Its purpose is also rather subtle, which makes it easy to use incorrectly. Fortunately, it has little need of the rewards of its last few levels, and (like the Operator) can gain useful experience points from the Ammo Fabricator it unlocks at 8th level.

Progression:

Sample Builds:

TW 202-I Morita Hawkeye
TW-109-e Emancipator
Ammo Fabricator
Chem Grenade
Synthetic Underarmour
Improved Grenade Cooldown

TW 202-I Morita Hawkeye
TW-109-e Emancipator
Ammo Fabricator
Napalm Grenade
Synthetic Underarmour
Pain Boosters

The Bastion specializes in tanking and horde suppression. Rather than doing damage or providing support, the Bastion sets themself on a point, tanks every hit through their superior armor, and literally pushes back the hordes through sheer weight of fire.

An essential aspect of playing Bastion is the correct use of siege mode. Activating it improves accuracy (essential to making the Bastion-exclusive SAW effective) and armor, but prevents movement, so make sure to choose your position wisely.

The weaknesses of the Bastion class are that it has no means of inflicting high dps and its static playstyle makes it very dependent on allies to provide ammunition in the form of ammo fabricators.

As progression goes, the Bastion is somewhere between the Hunter and Operator. It receives its exclusive weapon (the SAW) at level 2, yet some of its most useful rewards lie in the last five levels of progression.

Progression:

Sample Builds:

Morita MK3 SAW
TW-109-e Emancipator
Scan Beacon
Chem Grenade
Synthetic Underarmor
Extended Magazines

Morita MK3 SAW
TW-109-e Emancipator
Shock Beacon
Chem Grenade
Extended Magazines
Magazine Bandolier

The Operator simultaneously functions as support, objective runner, and dps.

They can passively heal and revive players (including themselves) with their medical drone, and transport canisters without a speed decrease or giving up the use of their guns (unless they want to carry two, which is also an ability unique to them). They get the Hawkeye quite early (and can combine it with the Extended Magazine perk to exceed the dps of the Hunter), and eventually get the Operator-exclusive Chi-Hong grenade launcher as well.

The high versatility of the Operator class gives it few weaknesses, save for its reliance on limited (3 per 3 minutes) self-revives for survivability. If the Operator burns through their medical drone revives on allies or themself (or neglects to have it up at a critical moment), they can go down like anyone else.

The Operator is a perfect class for a beginner, due to its high versatility and early acquisition of key equipment (the Hawkeye and Ammo Fabricator). It also has little need for the last five levels of progression. The Ammo Fabricator in particular is quite useful for leveling, as each player who takes ammo from it (including the one who dropped it) grants the owner experience points. It is also the only class to have a utility available at 1st level.

Progression:

Sample Builds:

TW 202-I Morita Hawkeye
TW-109-e Emancipator
Ammo Fabricator
Scan Grenade
Improved Grenade Cooldown
Extended Magazines

C-32 Chi-Hong Grenade Launcher
TW-109-e Emancipator
Scan Beacon
Chem Grenade
Improved Grenade Cooldown
Extended Magazines