Terran Federation-Arachnid conflict
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The Terran Federation-Bugs conflict, or The Bug War, was a fictional event in the novel Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. The movie Starship Troopers and the TV series Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles also portray similar conflicts between humanity and the arachnids.
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[edit] Book Version
"The historians can't seem to settle whether to call this one "The Third Space War" (or the fourth), or whether "The First Interstellar War" fits it better. We just call it "The Bug War." Everything up to then and still later were "incidents," "patrols" or "police actions." However, you are just as dead if you buy the farm in an "incident" as you are if you buy it in a declared war..." - Juan Rico
[edit] Movie Version
[edit] Provocation
While on patrol, the United Citizen Federation (the film's version of the TF) Fleet starship Rodger Young sighted an asteroid and just narrowly collided with it. The asteroid took out the Roger Young's communications tower, making the crew unable to give the Federation an advance warning. The asteroid continued toward Earth and vaporized Buenos Aires, killing over eight million people.
Minutes later, in Geneva, the Federal Council unanimously voted to destroy the Arachnids, which were responsible for the city's destruction. Sky Marshal Dienes drew plans for a military offensive against the Arachnids.
[edit] Battle of Klendathu
Days later, dozens of Fleet ships reached Battlestation Ticonderoga near Klendathu. Shortly afterwards, the ships began landing massive amounts of troops to the planet's surface, under the idea that the Bugs were not intelligent. However, this misconception proved to be disastrous. The Bugs turned out to be much smarter and well-organized, leading to the deaths of 308,563 soldiers. Bug plasma fire, which was mistakenly anticipated as "random and light", destroyed several starships.
[edit] Afterwards
Taking responsibility for the slaughter, Dienes resigned as Sky Marshal. His successor, Tehat Meru, outlined a new strategy, which was to understand the Bugs in order to fight the Bugs. Federal scientists were amazed at the intelligent military actions of the Arachnids, leading them to theorize that there was a central intelligence to the Bug social structure.
[edit] Rescue on Planet P
Three days later, Fleet received a distress call from an outpost on Planet P. The Mobile Infantry sent its finest unit, "Rasczak's Roughnecks", to investigate. When they arrived, they found that all of the personnel, except for their commander, General Owen, were dead. Shortly afterwards, a massive Bug army arrived and attacked the fort. Owen went out like a coward and was killed by a crashing hopper. Even though a Fleet dropship arrived, several members of Roughnecks were killed, including its lieutenant, Jean Rasczak. Acting sergeant Johnny Rico was then promoted to the unit's commander.
[edit] Capture of the Brain
The Bug's assault on Planet P made military intelligence confirm that there probably is a "brain bug". The Mobile Infantry then sent a large invasion force to Planet P in order to capture it. Meanwhile in orbit, the Rodger Young was hit by bug plasma and was split in two. Two flight team members, Zander Barcalow and Carmen Ibanez, escaped before the ship was destroyed. While descending to Planet P's surface, their escape pod crashed into a mountain, which was being used as a Bug stronghold.
The two humans were then taken to the Brain Bug. Barcalow was killed; however, Ibanez was rescued by the Roughnecks. The Brain Bug was then captured by the Mobile Infantry.
[edit] TV Version
