1.0: What is Bug Ship:​

It is an ultra simple science fiction roleplaying game where you board a derelict 

space ship infected with alien bugs. It can be played solo or with a traditional GM if you so wish. This 
game is based on the extremely popular grimdark fantasy Micro Chapbook RPG system. 
 

2.0: What You Need:​ ​

2 six-sided dice, graph paper, note paper/character sheet, a pencil w/eraser, this 

chapbook. 
 

3.0: Rolling:​

​

During play, you always roll 1D6, trying to score equal to or lower than your stat score. If you 

are proficient, roll 2 dice and take the better result of the 2. 1 always succeeds. 6 always fails. (NOTE: When 
you see 1D3 it means you roll a die and half the result rounding up.)  
 

4.0: Characters: ​

To create a character, do the following: 

1.

STATS:​

You have 4 statistics. ​

ST​

rength, ​

DE​

xterity, ​

WI​

ts, ​

CH​

arisma. You have 7 points to assign 

between them as you see fit. No stat can have a score lower than 1 or higher than 4. 

2.

CLASS:​

​

Choose a class. There are 4 to choose from. Each one will make you proficient in one 

area. ​

Soldier:​

​

Proficient in ST ​

Ranger:​

Proficient in DE ​

Tech:​

Proficient in WI ​

Diplomat:​ ​

Proficient 

in CH. 

3.

RANK​

: ​

Choose a rank. Rank grants you a +1 bonus to one stat. ​

Security:​

​

+1 ST ​

Engineering:​

​

+1 DE 

Science:​

+1 WI ​

Command: ​

+1 CH 

4.

HEALTH​

:​

Your health is your ST+DE+20 (+30 for an easier game). 

5.

WILL​

: ​

Your will is your WI+CH+20 (+30 for an easier game). 

 

5.0 Weapons:​

Roll 2D6 to determine your credits. You may buy equipment now. Weapons have a damage 

rating and a cost in credits (c).  
 

Melee Weapons 

Ranged Weapons 

Dagger 

1 

1c 

Throwing Star 

1 

2c 

Short Sword 

1D3 

2c 

Stun Gun 

1D3 

3c 

Hand Axe 

1D3+1 

3c 

Phaser  

1D3+1 

4c 

Vibro Sword 

1D6 

4c 

Blaster 

1D3+2 

5c 

Vibro Axe 

1D6+1 

5c 

Phaser Rifle 

1D6 

7c 

 

6.0: Armor and Items: ​

Armor grants the wearer a boost to their health, will, or both. Other items such and 

food and stim kits can be used to restore lost health and will. 

Armor 

Items 

Triton Fabric Uniform 

+3H 

1c 

(2) Rations 

1D3 H 

1c 

Comm Badge 

+3W 

1c 

(3) Deblorian Ale 

1D3 W 

1c 

Flux Shield 

+6H 

2c 

(4) Stim Kit 

1D6 H 

2c 

Cybernetic Uplink 

+6W 

2c 

(5) Tranquilizer  

1D6 W 

2c 

Personal Force Field 

+6HW 

3c 

(6) Emergency Med Kit 

FULL HW 

6c 

 

7.0: Generating Rooms:​ ​

Begin by choosing a random square on the graph paper and generating the first 

room. To generate a room, roll the D6. The number rolled in the number of squares in the room. These can 
be drawn in any way, shape, or form so long as they are orthogonally connected. Next, roll 1D3 (1D6 divided 
by 2 rounded up). This is the number of doors in the room. Draw small rectangles to represent the doors 
along any single square’s edge to designate an exit.  
 

8.0: Room Type: ​

Each newly generated room has a type. Roll 1D6 to determine the type. Note this in the 

room with a letter. 

●

(​1​) Darkness​

:​

(D) This room is dark. +1 on DE and ST rolls. 

●

(​2​) Corridor :​

(C) An empty ship corridor. No effect. 

●

(​3​) Webs:​

(W) Make a WI check or get stuck taking 1D3 damage. 

●

(​4)​ Eggs:​

(E) This room is filled with Alien Bug Eggs. +1 on CH rolls. 

●

(​5​) Hive Chamber:​

(H) This room has extra bugs. Monster Max stat increased +1/ 

●

(​6​) Queen’s Nest;:​

​

(Q) A huge egg like chamber could house the queen. +1 WI rolls. 

 

9.0: Doorways:​

Next, you will choose one door to move through into the next room. Roll 1D6 to determine 

the door type. After moving, generate the new room. 

●

(​5-6​) Unlocked​

: ​

Move through freely. 

●

(​4​) Stuck​

:​

Must make a ST check to get through. Lose 1 WILL to reroll and try again. 

●

(​3​) Locked​

: Must make a WI check to get through. Lose 1 WILL to reroll and try again. 

●

(​

1-2​) Malfunction​

: ​

Must make a WI check to safely repair and move. If you fail, take 1D3 damage 

and try again. 

 

10.0 Aliens:​ ​

After Entering any room. Roll to generate the aliens in the room. Roll once for the alien type 

and a second time for the number of that aliens (this can never exceed the MAX). Each alien has a Max 
number of that type that can appear in a room, a Health Damage, a Will Damage, and a Life Force. 
 

 

Monster Type 

Max 

H DMG 

W DMG 

LF 

1 

Exploding Eggs 

6 

1D6 

0 

1 

2 

Nat Swarm 

6 

1 

1 

1 

3 

Bug Hatchling 

6 

1D3 

1D3 

3 

4 

Bug Guard 

4 

1D3+1 

1D3+1 

5 

5 

Bug Warrior 

3 

1D3+2 

1D3+2 

7 

6 

Bug Queen 

1 

1D6 

1D6+1 

25 

 

11.0: Fighting:​

To fight the aliens in your room, follow these steps in order: 

1.

Bravery:​

Make a CH check. If you pass, gain 1 Will. If you fail, you lose Will according to the 

alien’s W DMG. If your Will is ever 0, all rolls take a +1 modifier. (A roll of 1 STILL always 
succeeds) 

2.

Ranged Attack:​

If the room is 4 squares or larger you may make a ranged attack. Roll a DE check. 

If you succeed, apply weapon damage to the alien’s LF.  

3.

Melee Attack:​

You MUST now make a melee attack using a ST check. If you succeed, apply the 

weapon’s damage to the alien’s LF. If you fail, roll the alein’s H DMG and apply it to your health. 

4.

Repeat:​

​

Repeat this process until either you die or you’ve killed all the aliens in the room. Run 

away with a successful CH roll. 

 

12.0: Search: ​

Roll 1D6. If you get 1 through 5 you earn that many credits. If you roll a six, roll on the Items 

chart on the previous page. If you roll a 1 on the items chart you find nothing. 
 

13.0: The Boss:​

The Bug Queen is the boss of the scenario and will not appear until you’ve encountered all 

the other aliens at least once. Additionally, she will only appear in the Hive Chamber or Queen’s Nest . If 
you roll her when she can’t appear, reroll. Once she is defeated, the game ends.  
 

14.0: Rank Up:​

In between games you may spend 100 credits to add +1 to one stat. No stat can be higher 

than 5. (For an easier game, reduce this cost to 50). You may also buy new equipment. You may only have 1 
melee and 1 ranged weapon at a time.  

 

 

CHAPBOOK ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS 

 

1.

Print off the first two pages back to back. 

2. Fold the pages in half to form a chapbook folio so that the cover art is on the front of the 

chapbook and the alien chart is on the back.  

3. Print the third page separately. 
4.

Cut off these assembly instructions (and the Note on Gameplay) and discard them leaving you 
with just the character sheet. 

5.

Alternatively, keep this section as an “extra” page and put it in the middle of the Chapbook.  

6. OR forgo printing the third page and use your own note paper or note card as the character 

sheet. 

 

A NOTE ON GAMEPLAY and CLARIFICATIONS 

 

● Natural rolls of 1 ALWAYS succeed, despite die modifiers from room types or loss of Will (as 

indicated in Bravery). Natural rolls of 6 always fail. 

● Play the game multiple times to rank up your character and make them stronger. 
● Use the character in this Micro Chapbook RPG in other Micro Chapbooks for mixed up gameplay. 
● Interchange weapons, aliens, rooms, etc. with other Micro Chapbook RPGs for more options 

and variety.  

● Make the game easier by allowing Rank Up at the end of every successful scenario run. 
● The game may be played as a “traditional” RPG with one person acting as a GM. 
● The GM can choose to prebuild the scenario beforehand, choosing what is in each room, the 

layout, the doors, where the Boss is hiding, and more.  

● The GM can add in loot chests with set credits or items inside.  
● The GM may choose to run the game in a more “roleplay” style with added story elements, 

non-player characters, quest goals, etc. 

● In this way, the GM can use WI for all reading, writing, and intelligence based rolls. The GM may 

also use CH for all social based rolls with NPCs, enemies, and more.  

● Try playing the game on a traditional grid based game mat with miniatures. 
● Each miniature can move 1 square at a time orthogonally as part of the melee attack phase.  
● Ranged attacks may be made at a distance. Melee attacks may be made while adjacent.  
● Come up with your own house rules!   

 
 

Micro Chapbook RPG System 

Copyright © 2020 Noah Patterson