diff --git a/assets/fx/vega/vega-planet-beam.mp3 b/assets/fx/vega/vega-planet-beam.mp3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3403dc9
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/fx/vega/vega-planet-beam.mp3 differ
diff --git a/data/mastervega-rules.json b/data/mastervega-rules.json
index ee979d2..308dde5 100644
--- a/data/mastervega-rules.json
+++ b/data/mastervega-rules.json
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@
     "missileRange": 6,
     "retreatAfterRound": 1,
     "disengageRound": 25,
-    "planetDefenseBase": 20,
+    "planetDefenseScale": 0.06,
     "bombardPopKill": 0.22,
     "groundOddsScale": 0.01,
     "cloakEvasion": 0.02,
diff --git a/src/data/assetManifest.js b/src/data/assetManifest.js
index caea9c5..615e404 100644
--- a/src/data/assetManifest.js
+++ b/src/data/assetManifest.js
@@ -213,6 +213,10 @@ export const MANIFEST = {
     { type: 'audio', key: 'sfx-vega-missle-launch-67', path: 'assets/fx/vega/vega-missle-launch-67.mp3' },
     { type: 'audio', key: 'sfx-vega-missle-hit-12345', path: 'assets/fx/vega/vega-missle-hit-12345.mp3' },
     { type: 'audio', key: 'sfx-vega-missle-hit-67', path: 'assets/fx/vega/vega-missle-hit-67.mp3' },
+    // Planetary defence battery fire cue — a colony has no weapon mount to
+    // Mark-band like a ship (VegaCombatV2.js's planet entity is a flat
+    // damage scalar), so this is the one cue for every planet fire event.
+    { type: 'audio', key: 'sfx-vega-planet-beam', path: 'assets/fx/vega/vega-planet-beam.mp3' },
     // Per-warship-class destruction cues. Filename has a typo ("friggate")
     // that the cache key does not repeat — see Sounds.js.
     { type: 'audio', key: 'sfx-vega-destroy-frigate', path: 'assets/fx/vega/vega-destroy-friggate.mp3' },
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/MasterOfVegaGame.js b/src/games/mastervega/MasterOfVegaGame.js
index 55b6c11..f3c1732 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/MasterOfVegaGame.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/MasterOfVegaGame.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { openCombatViewV2 } from './VegaCombatViewV2.js';
 import {
   FONT, D, openDiplomacyScreen, openCouncilScreen, openLeaderScreen,
   openSaveScreen, openLoadScreen, showVictoryOverlay, openFormationPicker,
+  openAttackNotice,
 } from './VegaScreens.js';
 import { openColoniesScreen } from './VegaColoniesScreen.js';
 import { openResearchScreen } from './VegaResearchScreen.js';
@@ -1205,14 +1206,16 @@ export default class MasterOfVegaGame extends Phaser.Scene {
   // driven tick by tick by the view, and its outcome handed straight back,
   // so a battle the player fights here and an AI-vs-AI one auto-resolved by
   // resolveCombats() still go through exactly the same prepareBattleAt/
-  // applyBattleOutcome code, just with a human-chosen formation and a screen
-  // to watch. Re-derives Logic.pendingBattlesFor fresh every call (a no-op
-  // if nothing's pending), so it's safe to call from more than one place:
-  // onEndTurn() after the human's own move, AND runToHumanTurn()'s AI loop
-  // after every AI empire's move, since endEmpireTurn is told to defer any
+  // applyBattleOutcome code, just with a screen to watch (and, when the
+  // human started it, a formation choice). Re-derives Logic.pendingBattlesFor
+  // fresh every call (a no-op if nothing's pending), so it's safe to call
+  // from more than one place: onEndTurn() after the human's own move
+  // (`attacked` left false — the human chose this fight, so they choose the
+  // formation), AND runToHumanTurn()'s AI loop after every AI empire's move
+  // (`attacked: true` — see below), since endEmpireTurn is told to defer any
   // battle touching the human rather than auto-resolve it (Brian's ask,
   // 2026-08-14) — this is what actually shows it.
-  playPlayerBattles(done) {
+  playPlayerBattles(done, { attacked = false } = {}) {
     const me = this.state.humanIndex;
     const pending = Logic.pendingBattlesFor(this.rules, this.state, me);
     if (!pending.length) { done(); return; }
@@ -1222,11 +1225,8 @@ export default class MasterOfVegaGame extends Phaser.Scene {
       const { starIdx, other } = pending[i];
       this.map?.panToStar(starIdx, 260);
       this.modalOpen = true;
-      // Forced (closable: false) — there's no sensible "cancel" once fleets
-      // are already committed to this fight. Only the human's own side is
-      // ever asked; the AI opponent always picks silently (Logic
-      // .prepareBattleAt's own comment).
-      openFormationPicker(this, (humanFormation) => {
+
+      const startBattle = (humanFormation) => {
         const prepared = Logic.prepareBattleAt(this.rules, this.state, starIdx, me, other, { humanFormation });
         if (!prepared) { this.modalOpen = false; next(i + 1); return; }
         this.music?.setCategory('combat');
@@ -1242,7 +1242,28 @@ export default class MasterOfVegaGame extends Phaser.Scene {
             next(i + 1);
           },
         });
-      }, { closable: false });
+      };
+
+      if (attacked) {
+        // The formation picker is skipped here (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14):
+        // VegaFormations.js's own header comment says a chosen strategy
+        // doesn't change how the battle plays out yet, so asking the player
+        // to pick one before a fight they didn't start is a pointless extra
+        // click, not a real decision. Just say who's attacking and where,
+        // then start the same prepared battle with both sides silently
+        // randomised — prepareBattleAt's default when humanFormation is null,
+        // same as any AI-vs-AI fight already gets.
+        openAttackNotice(this, {
+          attackerName: this.state.empires[other].name,
+          starName: this.state.galaxy.stars[starIdx].name,
+        }, () => startBattle(null));
+      } else {
+        // Forced (closable: false) — there's no sensible "cancel" once fleets
+        // are already committed to this fight. Only the human's own side is
+        // ever asked; the AI opponent always picks silently (Logic
+        // .prepareBattleAt's own comment).
+        openFormationPicker(this, startBattle, { closable: false });
+      }
     };
     next(0);
   }
@@ -1351,14 +1372,17 @@ export default class MasterOfVegaGame extends Phaser.Scene {
       runAITurn(this.rules, this.state, e);
       Logic.endEmpireTurn(this.rules, this.state, e, { deferBattlesFor: this.state.humanIndex });
       // This AI empire's own move can bring it into contact with the human —
-      // same interactive battle + formation picker the human's own movement
-      // already gets (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14). playPlayerBattles re-derives
+      // same interactive tactical view the human's own movement already gets
+      // (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14), `attacked: true` so it's a one-button
+      // "you're under attack" notice instead of the formation picker (that
+      // choice is the human's to make when THEY start a fight, not something
+      // to ask for on defense). playPlayerBattles re-derives
       // Logic.pendingBattlesFor fresh every call and returns immediately when
       // nothing is pending, so this costs nothing on the (common) turn where
       // no battle happened, and steps the human straight into the tactical
       // view the instant one did — before the loop moves on to the next
       // empire, so fights never stack up unresolved across turns.
-      this.playPlayerBattles(() => this.time.delayedCall(60, step));
+      this.playPlayerBattles(() => this.time.delayedCall(60, step), { attacked: true });
     };
     step();
   }
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/VegaAI.js b/src/games/mastervega/VegaAI.js
index 82ad56e..c42ec94 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/VegaAI.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/VegaAI.js
@@ -356,11 +356,16 @@ function manageFleets(rules, state, e, strat) {
           const guard = state.fleets
             .filter((f) => f.starIdx === c.starIdx && f.empireIdx === enemy.idx)
             .reduce((t, f) => t + fleetPower(rules, state, f), 0) + c.defenseHp * 0.4;
-          // Attack at rough parity. Demanding a clear local edge produced a
-          // permanent phoney war: both sides built to the same strength, each
-          // decided it was not quite winning enough, and nothing ever moved for
-          // seven hundred turns.
-          if (power < guard) continue;
+          // Attack at rough parity — except against an enemy this empire has
+          // just lost to repeatedly, where attackMultiplier raises the bar
+          // instead of sending the next fleet in at the same losing size
+          // (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14). Demanding a clear local edge as the
+          // DEFAULT case produced a permanent phoney war: both sides built to
+          // the same strength, each decided it was not quite winning enough,
+          // and nothing ever moved for seven hundred turns — so the escalation
+          // only ever kicks in reactively, after real losses, and resets the
+          // moment an attack actually works.
+          if (power < guard * attackMultiplier(emp, enemy.idx)) continue;
           // Concentrate on whoever is closest to collapse. Spreading pressure
           // evenly across every rival keeps them all alive indefinitely; a war
           // is only won by finishing somebody off.
@@ -420,12 +425,62 @@ function manageFleets(rules, state, e, strat) {
   }
 }
 
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// War memory — a per-enemy consecutive-loss streak, read once per turn from
+// the 'combat' events applyBattleOutcome (VegaLogic.js) already pushes.
+// Works identically whether the battle auto-resolved (AI-vs-AI) or was
+// fought out interactively by the human (MasterOfVegaGame.js's
+// playPlayerBattles) — same event, same shape, either way. A win against an
+// enemy resets that enemy's streak to 0; a loss increments it. Read by
+// manageFleets' attack decision below to demand progressively more force
+// before trying that enemy again, instead of feeding it the same losing
+// fleet size on repeat (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14).
+//
+// Cursored on each event's `seq` (VegaLogic.js's pushEvent), not on
+// state.turn: resolveCombats runs globally, from inside WHICHEVER empire's
+// endEmpireTurn happens to execute next, so a battle this empire is
+// "attacker" in can land in state.events before this empire's own turn is
+// even processed this calendar cycle — a turn-number cursor could line up
+// exactly with such an event's own turn and skip it. A `seq` cursor has no
+// such boundary case: anything with a higher seq than last time is new,
+// full stop, and it stays correct even across the trim-to-300 pushEvent
+// does once state.events passes 600 (an index or count-based cursor would
+// not survive that).
+function updateWarMemory(state, e) {
+  const emp = state.empires[e];
+  const from = emp.warMemorySeq;
+  let maxSeq = from;
+  for (const ev of state.events) {
+    if (ev.seq > maxSeq) maxSeq = ev.seq;
+    if (ev.type !== 'combat' || ev.attacker !== e || ev.seq <= from) continue;
+    const mem = emp.warMemory[ev.defender] ?? (emp.warMemory[ev.defender] = { losses: 0 });
+    mem.losses = ev.winner === 'attacker' ? 0 : mem.losses + 1;
+  }
+  emp.warMemorySeq = maxSeq;
+}
+
+// Multiplier on a target's `guard` (manageFleets' local-attack gate) once
+// this empire has lost to it a couple of times running: unchanged at 1x for
+// the first loss (still just bad luck), then climbs — capped at 3x so a
+// structurally weaker empire cannot escalate itself into permanent
+// passivity, which is exactly the "phoney war" failure mode the plain
+// parity threshold below was chosen to avoid in the first place (see that
+// comment). A win resets the streak (updateWarMemory above), so this only
+// ever demands more after REPEATED failure, and eases back off the moment
+// an attack actually works.
+function attackMultiplier(emp, enemyIdx) {
+  const losses = emp.warMemory[enemyIdx]?.losses ?? 0;
+  if (losses <= 1) return 1;
+  return Math.min(3, 1 + (losses - 1) * 0.5);
+}
+
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 export function runAITurn(rules, state, e) {
   const emp = state.empires[e];
   if (!emp.alive) return;
 
+  updateWarMemory(state, e);
   const strat = computeStrategy(rules, state, e);
   manageResearch(rules, state, e, strat);
   for (const colony of strat.colonies) manageColony(rules, state, e, colony, strat);
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombat.js b/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombat.js
index 53987e3..c77b905 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombat.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombat.js
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ export function createBattle(rules, opts) {
       x: C.gridCols - 1,
       speed: 0,
       immobile: true,
-      damage: C.planetDefenseBase + colony.defenseHp * 0.05,
+      // Pure proportional — see VegaCombatV2.js's identical formula for why
+      // the old flat +20-base version was overpowered at low defenseHp.
+      damage: colony.defenseHp * C.planetDefenseScale,
       salvoesLeft: new Map(),
       retreated: false,
     };
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatV2.js b/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatV2.js
index b56c9e4..a8fe6b9 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatV2.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatV2.js
@@ -605,7 +605,18 @@ export function createBattle(rules, opts) {
       angularAccel: 0,
       avoidRadius: C2.separationUnit * 3,
       immobile: true,
-      damage: rules.combat.planetDefenseBase + colony.defenseHp * 0.05,
+      // Pure proportional — no flat floor. The old formula (a flat +20 base
+      // plus only +0.05/HP) meant a colony at 1/100 defenseHp and one at a
+      // fully-teched-out 1800+/1800 both hit for roughly the same ~20-25
+      // damage, comparable to a tier 5-6 weapon, regardless of how depleted
+      // its defences actually were — reported as "attacked with the
+      // strength of a much-better-defended planet" (Brian, 2026-08-14).
+      // Scaling purely off current HP means a near-dead colony now barely
+      // scratches anything, a fresh untechnologied one (100 cap) hits at an
+      // early-weapon-tier ~6, and a maxed-out one (~1848 cap, every
+      // planetaryShield/defense-building stacked) still tops out around 110
+      // — same ceiling the old formula had, just actually earned.
+      damage: colony.defenseHp * rules.combat.planetDefenseScale,
       salvoesLeft: new Map(),
       retreated: false,
       target: null,
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatViewV2.js b/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatViewV2.js
index 056c050..9afee4c 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatViewV2.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/VegaCombatViewV2.js
@@ -431,7 +431,17 @@ export function openCombatViewV2(scene, rules, battle, art, opts = {}) {
         scene.time.delayedCall(hitDelay, () => {
           if (to.container.active) fx.hit(to.container.x, to.container.y, missile ? 0xffb060 : 0xffd28a);
         });
-        if (ev.weaponKind === 'beam' || missile) {
+        // A planet has no weapon mount to band by Mark (ev.weaponKind is
+        // null for its fire events — VegaCombatV2.js's queueDamage falls
+        // back to a bare damage scalar), so it gets its own fixed cue
+        // instead of falling through weaponSfxKey's beam/missile dispatch.
+        if (from.ship.isPlanet) {
+          const now = scene.time.now;
+          if (now >= nextSoundAt) {
+            nextSoundAt = now + SOUND_MIN_GAP_MS;
+            playSound(scene, SFX.VEGA_PLANET_BEAM);
+          }
+        } else if (ev.weaponKind === 'beam' || missile) {
           const now = scene.time.now;
           if (now >= nextSoundAt) {
             nextSoundAt = now + SOUND_MIN_GAP_MS;
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/VegaLogic.js b/src/games/mastervega/VegaLogic.js
index 3294815..6b08df6 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/VegaLogic.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/VegaLogic.js
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ export function randInt(state, n) { return Math.floor(rand(state) * n); }
 
 export function attachRules(state, rules) { state.rules = rules; return state; }
 
+// `seq` is a permanent, ever-increasing id independent of the event's
+// position in `state.events` — VegaAI.js's updateWarMemory (per-empire
+// combat-outcome tracking) needs a cursor that survives the trim below
+// unscathed; an array-index or count-based cursor would silently go stale
+// (or worse, skip real events) the moment a trim ran between two reads.
 const pushEvent = (state, ev) => {
+  ev.seq = state.nextEventSeq += 1;
   state.events.push(ev);
   if (state.events.length > 600) state.events = state.events.slice(-300);
 };
@@ -515,6 +521,7 @@ export function createGame(rules, opts) {
     fleets: [],
     nextColonyId: 0,
     nextFleetId: 0,
+    nextEventSeq: 0,
     events: [],
     council: {
       nextTurn: rules.council.firstTurn, lastResult: null, history: [], pendingSession: false,
@@ -561,6 +568,16 @@ export function createGame(rules, opts) {
       // button could be clicked any number of times in one turn.
       lastBombardTurn: {},
       fleetIntrusions: {},
+      // enemyIdx -> { losses }, a consecutive-attack-loss streak read by
+      // VegaAI.js's manageFleets to demand progressively more force before
+      // trying that enemy again rather than attacking at the same losing
+      // fleet size on repeat. warMemorySeq is the highest event `seq`
+      // (pushEvent, above) already scanned for 'combat' events (VegaAI.js's
+      // updateWarMemory) — plain fields, not underscore-prefixed caches,
+      // since unlike _comps/_range they aren't recomputable from current
+      // tech and have to survive save/load.
+      warMemory: {},
+      warMemorySeq: 0,
       explored: {},
       spyPoints: 0,
       // otherIdx -> 'steal' | 'sabotage', missing entry means 'steal' (see
@@ -2882,6 +2899,14 @@ export function serialize(state) {
 export function deserialize(json) {
   const state = JSON.parse(json);
   if (state.version !== 1) return null;
+  // A save from before pushEvent stamped events with `seq` has none on any
+  // existing event — nextEventSeq starts at 0 either way (pushEvent uses
+  // pre-increment), so the first NEW event in a reloaded old save gets seq 1,
+  // safely past every un-seq'd historical event's implicit `undefined`
+  // (always fails `ev.seq > cursor`, so old events are just never
+  // war-memory-countable, same cold-start tradeoff as every other
+  // back-filled field here).
+  state.nextEventSeq ??= 0;
   for (const emp of state.empires) {
     emp._comps = null; emp._compsAt = -1; emp._range = null; emp._rangeAt = -1;
     emp._designs = null; emp._designsAt = -1;
@@ -2896,6 +2921,8 @@ export function deserialize(json) {
     emp.lastBombardTurn ??= {};
     emp.fleetIntrusions ??= {};
     emp.espionageMission ??= {};
+    emp.warMemory ??= {};
+    emp.warMemorySeq ??= 0;
   }
   // Same convention for a save from before GNN existed — but a bare
   // `gnn ??= {history:[]}` is not enough here: state.events is never cleared
diff --git a/src/games/mastervega/VegaScreens.js b/src/games/mastervega/VegaScreens.js
index 112db4f..16c9124 100644
--- a/src/games/mastervega/VegaScreens.js
+++ b/src/games/mastervega/VegaScreens.js
@@ -225,6 +225,32 @@ export function openFormationPicker(scene, onPick, { closable = true } = {}) {
   return shell;
 }
 
+/**
+ * A forced one-button notice for a battle the player didn't start — an AI
+ * empire attacking one of their fleets or colonies (MasterOfVegaGame.js's
+ * playPlayerBattles, `attacked: true`). Skips the formation picker entirely:
+ * VegaFormations.js's own header comment says the choice doesn't change how
+ * a battle actually plays out yet, so asking the player to pick a doctrine
+ * for a fight they didn't choose to start is a pointless extra click, not a
+ * real decision (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14). Forced (closable: false) for the
+ * same reason the formation picker is — nothing to cancel, the fleets are
+ * already in contact.
+ */
+export function openAttackNotice(scene, { attackerName, starName }, onOk) {
+  const shell = modalShell(scene, 'Under Attack', null, { width: 780, height: 280, closable: false });
+  const { body } = shell;
+  shell.add(scene.add.text(body.x + body.w / 2, body.y + body.h / 2 - 20,
+    `${attackerName} attacks you at ${starName}.`, {
+      fontFamily: FONT, fontSize: '22px', color: '#e8f4ff', align: 'center', wordWrap: { width: body.w },
+    }).setOrigin(0.5));
+  const btn = new Button(scene, body.x + body.w / 2, body.y + body.h - 34, 'OK', uiClick(scene, () => {
+    shell.destroy();
+    onOk();
+  }), { width: 160, height: 48, fontSize: 18 });
+  shell.add(btn);
+  return shell;
+}
+
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Research has its own file, VegaResearchScreen.js — it grew past this
 // module's shared factory-function pattern the same way Audience and the
diff --git a/src/ui/Sounds.js b/src/ui/Sounds.js
index 06c63e9..290a90c 100644
--- a/src/ui/Sounds.js
+++ b/src/ui/Sounds.js
@@ -127,6 +127,11 @@ export const SFX = {
   VEGA_MISSILE_LAUNCH_67:    'sfx-vega-missle-launch-67',
   VEGA_MISSILE_HIT_12345:    'sfx-vega-missle-hit-12345',
   VEGA_MISSILE_HIT_67:       'sfx-vega-missle-hit-67',
+  // Planetary defence battery fire — VegaCombatViewV2.js's handleEvents
+  // plays this instead of a weaponSfxKey() band whenever the shooter is the
+  // planet (ev.weaponKind is null for a planet's fire events, since it has
+  // no weapon mount to band by Mark).
+  VEGA_PLANET_BEAM:          'sfx-vega-planet-beam',
   // One destroy cue per warship class — see VegaCombatView.js's/
   // VegaCombatViewV2.js's destroySfxKey(). Only the four combatant hulls
   // (frigate/destroyer/cruiser/battleship) have a clip; other hulls play no
diff --git a/tools/verifyMasterOfVega.js b/tools/verifyMasterOfVega.js
index ac51978..1c51b1c 100644
--- a/tools/verifyMasterOfVega.js
+++ b/tools/verifyMasterOfVega.js
@@ -1662,6 +1662,39 @@ section('5. Combat');
     { defenseHp: 600, shieldBonus: 5 }), 60);
   check('planetary defences make a difference', defended <= undefended, `${defended} vs ${undefended}`);
 
+  // Planet damage is pure proportional to current defenseHp — no flat floor
+  // (Brian's ask, 2026-08-14: the old formula's large flat +20 base meant a
+  // colony at 1/100 defenseHp fought back nearly as hard as one at its cap,
+  // reported as "attacked with the strength of a much-better-defended
+  // planet"). Checked numerically against createBattle's own planet entity
+  // rather than just a win-rate proxy, since that is the exact value this
+  // was miscalibrated on.
+  {
+    const bLow = Combat.createBattle(RULES, {
+      attacker: { empireIdx: 0, name: 'a', empire: mkEmp('human', 5), ships: [{ hullId: 'cruiser', count: 1 }] },
+      defender: { empireIdx: 1, name: 'd', empire: mkEmp('human', 5), ships: [] },
+      colony: { defenseHp: 5, shieldBonus: 0 }, rnd: mulberry32(1),
+    });
+    const bHigh = Combat.createBattle(RULES, {
+      attacker: { empireIdx: 0, name: 'a', empire: mkEmp('human', 5), ships: [{ hullId: 'cruiser', count: 1 }] },
+      defender: { empireIdx: 1, name: 'd', empire: mkEmp('human', 5), ships: [] },
+      colony: { defenseHp: 600, shieldBonus: 0 }, rnd: mulberry32(1),
+    });
+    check('planet damage matches defenseHp * planetDefenseScale exactly',
+      Math.abs(bLow.planet.damage - 5 * RULES.combat.planetDefenseScale) < 1e-9
+      && Math.abs(bHigh.planet.damage - 600 * RULES.combat.planetDefenseScale) < 1e-9,
+      `${bLow.planet.damage} / ${bHigh.planet.damage}`);
+    check('a near-dead colony hits far softer than a well-defended one, not roughly the same',
+      bHigh.planet.damage > bLow.planet.damage * 10, `${bLow.planet.damage} vs ${bHigh.planet.damage}`);
+
+    const lowDefRate = rate((s) => battle('human', 5, [{ hullId: 'cruiser', count: 4 }], 'human', 5, [],
+      s, { defenseHp: 5, shieldBonus: 0 }), 60);
+    const highDefRate = rate((s) => battle('human', 5, [{ hullId: 'cruiser', count: 4 }], 'human', 5, [],
+      s, { defenseHp: 600, shieldBonus: 0 }), 60);
+    check('a nearly-depleted colony is a softer target than a well-defended one in actual play',
+      lowDefRate >= highDefRate, `${lowDefRate} vs ${highDefRate}`);
+  }
+
   // Ground combat.
   const inv = Combat.resolveInvasion(RULES, mulberry32(7), 60, 50, { groundDefense: 0 }, 0, 40);
   check('a large invasion force takes a lightly held world', inv.captured);
@@ -1800,6 +1833,108 @@ section('5b. Deferred battles (human-visible combat)');
   }
 }
 
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+section('5c. AI attack-fleet escalation');
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Brian's ask, 2026-08-14: an AI empire that keeps losing small attacks
+// against the same enemy should wait and mass a bigger fleet instead of
+// feeding in the next ship the moment it locally outguns the target, rather
+// than dribbling out one-and-two-ship attacks forever. VegaAI.js's
+// updateWarMemory/attackMultiplier aren't exported (private to the AI
+// controller, same as everything else in that file except runAITurn), so
+// this drives the real decision through runAITurn itself and reads the
+// observable results: state.empires[e].warMemory, and whether the attack
+// fleet actually moved.
+{
+  // A deliberately synthetic setup: small (so the two homeworlds are within
+  // reach on a Thorium Fuel Cells grant), a big "threat" fleet parked at a
+  // THIRD star (not the target colony — sitting it at the target would add
+  // its power to that colony's own guard and confound the test) to push
+  // computeStrategy into 'war' phase, and the target colony's defenseHp
+  // hand-set so the attacking fleet's power lands in an exact, chosen ratio
+  // to its guard (guard = defenseHp * 0.4, no defending fleet of its own).
+  const st = Logic.createGame(RULES, {
+    sizeId: 'small', shapeId: 'spiral', seed: 1, difficultyId: 'normal',
+    speciesIds: ['kkrix', 'rrashaa'], humanIndex: -1,
+  });
+  st.rules = RULES;
+  st.fleets = [];
+  Logic.grantTech(RULES, st, 0, 'thoriumcells');
+  const home0 = st.galaxy.homeIdx[0];
+  const home1 = st.galaxy.homeIdx[1];
+  const elsewhere = st.galaxy.stars.findIndex((s, i) => i !== home0 && i !== home1);
+  check('a third star exists to park the threat fleet away from the target', elsewhere >= 0);
+  Diplo.declareWar(RULES, st, 0, 1);
+  Logic.addFleet(RULES, st, 1, elsewhere, [{ hullId: 'battleship', mark: 1, count: 5 }]);
+  const fleet = Logic.addFleet(RULES, st, 0, home0, [{ hullId: 'cruiser', mark: 1, count: 1 }]);
+  const defCol = st.colonies.find((c) => c.starIdx === home1);
+  const dock = () => { fleet.starIdx = home0; fleet.toStar = -1; fleet.fromStar = -1; fleet.progress = 0; fleet.total = 0; };
+  // Mirrors VegaLogic.js's own (unexported) pushEvent exactly — a synthetic
+  // combat event pushed straight onto state.events with no `seq` would never
+  // satisfy `ev.seq > cursor` (undefined comparisons are always false) and
+  // so would either be silently ignored or, worse, reprocessed every call.
+  const pushCombat = (winner, defenderIdx = 1) => {
+    st.events.push({
+      type: 'combat', starIdx: home1, attacker: 0, defender: defenderIdx, winner,
+      turn: st.turn, seq: st.nextEventSeq += 1,
+    });
+  };
+
+  // --- fresh (no loss history): attacks at plain parity, same as before this
+  // feature existed.
+  {
+    const power = Logic.fleetPower(RULES, st, fleet);
+    defCol.defenseHp = Math.round((power * 0.9) / 0.4); // guard = 0.9x power: clears at 1x, fails at 1.5x+
+    Logic.beginEmpireTurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    AI.runAITurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    check('a fresh empire (no loss history) still attacks a beatable target', fleet.toStar === home1);
+  }
+
+  // --- two straight losses against this enemy: the SAME fleet/target ratio
+  // (still only 0.9x guard headroom) now falls short of the escalated 1.5x
+  // bar, so it waits instead of attacking again at the same losing size.
+  {
+    dock();
+    st.turn = 3;
+    pushCombat('defender');
+    pushCombat('defender');
+    Logic.beginEmpireTurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    AI.runAITurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    check('two straight losses are tallied into warMemory', st.empires[0].warMemory[1]?.losses === 2);
+    check('with two losses on the books, the same marginal fleet no longer attacks',
+      fleet.toStar < 0 && fleet.starIdx === home0);
+  }
+
+  // --- a win against this enemy resets the streak, and the same marginal
+  // fleet is willing to attack again immediately.
+  {
+    st.turn = 4;
+    pushCombat('attacker');
+    Logic.beginEmpireTurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    AI.runAITurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    check('a win resets the loss streak to zero', st.empires[0].warMemory[1].losses === 0);
+    check('with the streak reset, the same marginal fleet attacks again', fleet.toStar === home1);
+  }
+
+  // --- escalation is capped: even after many more losses, a fleet strong
+  // enough to clear 3x guard still attacks — if the multiplier grew without
+  // bound (e.g. to 5.5x at 10 losses) this same fleet/guard ratio would fail.
+  {
+    dock();
+    st.turn = 5;
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i += 1) pushCombat('defender');
+    st.turn = 16;
+    fleet.ships[0].count = 20;
+    const power = Logic.fleetPower(RULES, st, fleet);
+    defCol.defenseHp = Math.round((power / 3 * 0.95) / 0.4); // guard = power / 3.16: clears a 3x cap, would fail an uncapped 5.5x
+    Logic.beginEmpireTurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    AI.runAITurn(RULES, st, 0);
+    check('ten losses are tallied', st.empires[0].warMemory[1].losses === 10);
+    check('the escalation multiplier caps at 3x rather than growing without bound',
+      fleet.toStar === home1);
+  }
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 section('6. Colony economy');
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------