Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! packs 24 achievements across campaign progress, hidden collectibles, difficulty clears, and some genuinely tricky gameplay challenges. Whether you're chasing the platinum on PS5 or hunting the full completion on Steam, knowing which achievements are missable and which demand specific tactics separates a smooth run from hours of backtracking. Developed by Auroch Digital and published by DotEmu, this arcade shooter rewards thorough players who push into every corner of its Bug-infested levels.
Assassin Bug flight mechanics
How Many Achievements Are in Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War?
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! features exactly 24 achievements (or trophies on PS5, where a Platinum is also included). According to tracked data on Steam, only 1 player has reached 100% completion out of 214 tracked, making the full set genuinely challenging. On PS5, just 9.62% of owners have earned the Platinum, confirming that several achievements demand real dedication.
The list breaks down into five broad categories:
- Campaign progression (completing Human and Bug levels, surviving Klendathu)
- Difficulty clears (Recruit through Citizen)
- Specific gameplay challenges (Flak Bug kills, grenade tactics, Assassin Bug tasks)
- Hidden collectibles (violin, laser training rifle, secrets)
- Miscellaneous (developer commentary, cutscenes, riding the M7 Razorback)
Which Achievements Are Easiest to Unlock First?
Start with the achievements that unlock naturally through normal play. These require no special conditions and you'll earn them just by engaging with the game.
"I'm doing my part!" is the most common achievement in the game at 99.53% on Steam, meaning nearly every player earns it. "Hitch a Ride" and "Somebody humped the bunk" follow closely as story-driven unlocks tied to early campaign moments.
"Washout Lane" is worth grabbing deliberately. You need to fail basic training intentionally, which takes about 30 seconds and nets you an easy unlock before you restart and complete it properly.
How to Unlock the Difficulty Achievements
Four achievements are tied directly to finishing the full game on each difficulty tier. Based on Steam completion data, these are among the rarest in the entire list.
"Citizen" sits at just 2.34% on Steam, making it the rarest achievement in the game alongside the hidden secrets achievements. On PS5, the Citizen trophy carries an Ultra Rare rating at 1.2% according to PSNProfiles.
Difficulty achievements do not stack, meaning completing the game on Citizen difficulty does not automatically award Veteran, Trooper, and Recruit. Plan separate playthroughs or check whether the game allows difficulty selection per level before committing to a single run.
For the Citizen difficulty specifically, treat each level as a learning opportunity on lower difficulties first. Understanding enemy spawn patterns and boss behaviors before tackling the hardest setting will save significant frustration.
What Are the Trickiest Gameplay-Specific Achievements?
Several achievements require deliberate setups rather than passive play. These are the ones most players miss on a first run.
You know what to do (Kill a Flak Bug Without a Satchel Charge)
The Flak Bug is a heavily armored enemy that players naturally want to eliminate using a satchel charge. This achievement requires you to kill one through any other method, whether that's sustained rifle fire, grenades, or environmental damage. At 23.36% on Steam, it's achievable but easy to miss if you default to satchel charges out of habit.
If you consistently use satchel charges on Flak Bugs throughout your campaign, you may reach the end without a clean opportunity. Identify the first Flak Bug encounter and hold back the satchel charge deliberately.
Where did you learn that? (Grenade in the Tanker Bug's Hole)
This one requires throwing a grenade directly into the Tanker Bug's vulnerable hole during combat. At 14.49% on Steam, it trips up players who don't know the mechanic exists. The Tanker Bug exposes a specific weak point during its attack animation. Time your throw carefully to land the grenade inside that opening.
The only good bug, is a dead bug! (Kill the Assassin Bug)
At 19.16% on Steam, killing the Assassin Bug is a campaign milestone that still catches players off guard. This enemy has distinct behaviors compared to standard bugs, so approach it with patience rather than aggression.
Flak Bug combat encounter
How to Unlock the Assassin Bug Achievements
Three achievements are exclusive to playing as the Assassin Bug, a playable Bug-faction character with unique mechanics.
Flappy Bug (Remain Airborne for 30 Seconds)
As the Assassin Bug, you need to stay in the air continuously for 30 seconds. At 8.41% on Steam, this is trickier than it sounds because most players land instinctively. Find an open area, activate flight, and focus entirely on maintaining altitude. Avoid obstacles that would force a landing. Practice in an early Bug level before attempting this on a harder stage.
Some kinda smart bug? (Summon Allies from a Bug Nest)
This is the most accessible Assassin Bug achievement at 44.39% on Steam. Simply locate a Bug nest during an Assassin Bug level and trigger the summon ability. Most players pick this up naturally.
Collect Them All (Squad with Every Bug Type)
At 6.54% on Steam, this is the hardest Assassin Bug challenge. As the Assassin Bug, you need to build a squad where each member is a different bug type. This requires actively managing your squad composition rather than spamming the same summon. Check the Starship Troopers Wiki on Fandom for details on every available bug type you can recruit.
Plan your squad composition from the start of an Assassin Bug level. Replacing a bug type mid-mission may be difficult depending on which nests are available.
Where Are the Hidden Collectible Achievements?
Three achievements reward players who explore thoroughly rather than rushing through levels.
Would you like to know more? (Find All Secrets in Human Levels)
At just 0.93% on Steam, this is tied for the rarest achievement in the game. All secrets must be found across every Human level, meaning a single missed item locks you out until a replay. There is a separate option to "Start any level with all secrets turned on" (the "What did you Expect?" achievement), which is a distinct unlock from actually finding them all.
The Real Thing (Collect a Hidden Laser Training Rifle)
At 5.61% on Steam, this hidden weapon pickup requires knowing exactly where to look. The laser training rifle is tucked away in a specific level location. For a detailed breakdown of where each collectible appears, the Starship Troopers Ultimate Bug War achievements guide on GamerBlurb covers collectible locations in depth.
Expect the best (Collect a Violin)
At 2.80% on Steam (Ultra Rare on PS5 at 3.9%), the violin is one of the most obscure pickups in the game. This item is hidden well off the critical path and requires thorough exploration of a specific level area.
Hidden violin collectible spot
Campaign Completion and Miscellaneous Achievements
Service guarantees citizenship and A bug that thinks?
These two achievements require completing every Human level and every Bug level respectively. At 19.16% on Steam for both, they're tied to finishing all content in each campaign track. Make sure you don't skip any optional levels if the game offers branching paths.
Do you understand it? Do you believe it? (Watch All Cutscenes)
At 7.94% on Steam, this achievement is surprisingly rare given how passive it is. The most likely reason: players skip cutscenes during replays and don't realize they need to watch every one on at least one playthrough. Resist the urge to skip anything on your first run.
Sedition (Listen to Developer Commentary)
At 10.75% on Steam, this requires finding and activating the developer commentary option. Commentary is typically triggered through a specific in-game option or hidden audio triggers. Enable it early and listen to at least one commentary segment to secure the unlock.
What did you Expect? (Start a Level with All Secrets On)
At 0.93% on Steam, this is the other ultra-rare achievement. Navigate to the level start options and enable all secrets before beginning any level. It's a single action but buried in a menu that most players never open.
Secrets toggle in level menu
Full Achievement Rarity Overview
Rarity percentages reflect tracked player data and shift as more players complete the game. The figures above are based on available data at time of writing and may change with future updates.
Recommended Achievement Order for Efficiency
Here's a practical sequence to minimize replays:
- On your first playthrough (Recruit difficulty), watch every cutscene, find all secrets in Human levels, collect the violin and laser training rifle, listen to developer commentary, and intentionally fail basic training before restarting.
- Complete all Human levels and all Bug levels to earn the campaign completion achievements.
- During Bug levels, focus on the Assassin Bug challenges: build a diverse squad, stay airborne for 30 seconds, and summon allies from a nest.
- In Human levels, kill a Flak Bug without a satchel charge and throw a grenade into the Tanker Bug's hole.
- Run through on Trooper, Veteran, and finally Citizen difficulty once you know every level well.
- Clean up any missed collectibles in targeted replays.
For players who want a deeper breakdown of every collectible location and hidden challenge, browse more gaming guides at GAMES.GG to find additional tips across your favorite titles.