Like the novel and the movie, Starship Troopers: Terran Ascendancy follows the experiences of the men and women of Earth's Mobile Infantry. During the game, you assume the role of a Lieutenant, given charge of a platoon at the commencement of the Third Terran Space War. This is a war between humanity and the giant arachnids of Klendathu. Given the technological superiority of the human war machine, military intelligence predicts that the war will be over quickly. The bugs, however, are not so easily defeated.

Each operation begins with a briefing, followed by the selection of an appropriate strike team. The strike team will always include your lieutenant, specialists, and any number of troopers, up to a maximum size. If you're in a hurry, you can just choose the Auto Select feature. Over the course of the twenty-mission campaign, you will select, outfit, and guide your troopers into combat with the bugs.