diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b21bd72..effce0a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -114,9 +114,11 @@ layers now, with the rules and panels to come next:
 - **The command deck** (`data/actionbar.json`, rendered by
   `js/ui/ActionBar.js`) — the cyberpunk bar across the bottom of the screen.
   Six evenly spaced slots: **Research, Build, Ship, ·, ·, Menu**. The slots
-  fire `onAction` and are otherwise inert; two slots are reserved. All layout,
-  palette, and motion (boot flicker, rail comet, glitch bursts, RGB shimmer)
-  live in the config.
+  fire `onAction` and are otherwise inert; two slots are reserved. Dressed
+  with the menu's CRT language — scanlines over the strip and the GlitchText
+  RGB pull-apart on icons, labels, and the panel outline during bursts. All
+  layout, palette, and motion (boot flicker, rail comet, glitch bursts, RGB
+  split, scanlines) live in the config.
 
 `_`-prefixed keys (`_comment`, `_template`, …) are documentation, not
 runtime data — loaders and tests ignore them.
diff --git a/data/actionbar.json b/data/actionbar.json
index 18f5065..746738c 100644
--- a/data/actionbar.json
+++ b/data/actionbar.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "_comment": "COMMAND DECK — the cyberpunk bar across the bottom of the screen (rendered by js/ui/ActionBar.js). Six evenly spaced slots: `buttons` is the ORDERED list — give a slot an `id` (the action it will fire) + `label` + `accent`, or leave both `null` for a reserved slot. Buttons currently fire `onAction` (see GameScene); the behavior behind them comes next. Everything visual is procedural (no image assets) and tunable here: layout in `height`/`margin`/`padding`/`button`, palette in `colors`, motion in `animation` (boot flicker, the rail comet, the glitch bursts, the idle RGB shimmer).",
+  "_comment": "COMMAND DECK — the cyberpunk bar across the bottom of the screen (rendered by js/ui/ActionBar.js). Six evenly spaced slots: `buttons` is the ORDERED list — give a slot an `id` (the action it will fire) + `label` + `accent`, or leave both `null` for a reserved slot. Buttons currently fire `onAction` (see GameScene); the behavior behind them comes next. Everything visual is procedural (no image assets) and tunable here: layout in `height`/`margin`/`padding`/`button`, palette in `colors`, CRT scanlines in `scanline`, motion in `animation` (boot flicker, the rail comet, the glitch bursts, the RGB pull-apart).",
   "enabled": true,
   "height": 92,
   "margin": { "left": 20, "right": 20, "bottom": 12 },
@@ -31,8 +31,20 @@
     "reserved": "#3d4c74",
     "hatch": "#78b4ff"
   },
+  "scanline": {
+    "_comment": "CRT scanlines over the bar + buttons — the menu's recipe (one dark row per pitch rows). Defaults follow theme.overlay.scanline; override here for the deck only.",
+    "pitch": 3,
+    "alpha": 0.14
+  },
   "animation": {
     "bootStagger": 70,
+    "rgb": {
+      "_comment": "RGB pull-apart on icons/labels/panel (the menu title's GlitchText technique): idleOffset px of constant chromatic fringe, burstOffset extra px at full burst, idleAlpha/burstAlpha ghost strength.",
+      "idleOffset": 1.8,
+      "burstOffset": 6,
+      "idleAlpha": 0.4,
+      "burstAlpha": 0.55
+    },
     "comet": {
       "enabled": true,
       "everyMs": [3600, 7800],
@@ -43,7 +55,6 @@
       "intervalMs": [3500, 9000],
       "durationMs": [240, 480],
       "slices": [3, 6]
-    },
-    "idleGhost": 0.09
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/dev/research-builds.test.mjs b/dev/research-builds.test.mjs
index 8aa5b20..f806925 100644
--- a/dev/research-builds.test.mjs
+++ b/dev/research-builds.test.mjs
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ check('actionbar: labels (Research / Build / Ship / · / · / Menu)', JSON.strin
 const hex = /^#[0-9a-fA-F]{6}$/;
 check('actionbar: live slots carry hex accents', slots.filter((s) => s.id).every((s) => hex.test(s.accent ?? '')));
 check('actionbar: reserved slots stay null', slots.filter((s) => s.id === null).every((s) => s.label === null));
+check('actionbar: CRT scanlines configured (pitch + alpha)', typeof actionbar.scanline?.pitch === 'number' && typeof actionbar.scanline?.alpha === 'number');
+check('actionbar: RGB pull-apart configured (offsets + alphas)', typeof actionbar.animation?.rgb?.idleOffset === 'number' && typeof actionbar.animation?.rgb?.burstOffset === 'number' && typeof actionbar.animation?.rgb?.idleAlpha === 'number' && typeof actionbar.animation?.rgb?.burstAlpha === 'number');
 check('actionbar: sane geometry (height 40–200 px)', typeof actionbar.height === 'number' && actionbar.height > 40 && actionbar.height < 200);
 
 console.log(failures === 0 ? '\nall checks passed ✔' : `\n${failures} check(s) FAILED ✘`);
diff --git a/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md b/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md
index 38412df..714f20d 100644
--- a/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md
+++ b/docs/PROJECT_NOTES.md
@@ -244,7 +244,10 @@ world** — solid, rendered, flyable-to. Rules and seams:
       ship/planet/station) data layers (`data/research.json`,
       `data/builds.json`) with templates, and the command deck
       (`js/ui/ActionBar.js` + `data/actionbar.json`) — Research, Build,
-      Ship, ·, ·, Menu
+      Ship, ·, ·, Menu. The deck reuses the menu's CRT language: the same
+      scanline tile recipe as `CyberOverlay` (clipped to the bar) and the
+      `GlitchText` RGB pull-apart (icons + labels at all times, panel outline
+      during bursts) — see `actionbar.animation.rgb` / `actionbar.scanline`
 - [ ] Research rules + panel: start a project (one at a time), tick its
       duration, award `unlocks`; the Research slot on the deck opens it
 - [ ] Build panel: pay credits/minerals, apply `effects`, respect
diff --git a/js/ui/ActionBar.js b/js/ui/ActionBar.js
index 3bcc315..f0f6d25 100644
--- a/js/ui/ActionBar.js
+++ b/js/ui/ActionBar.js
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ const DEG = Math.PI / 180;
  * buttons (drawn icons, RGB-split labels, per-slot accent colors), reserved
  * "standby" slots, a rail comet that streaks past on a loop, periodic glitch
  * bursts (slice bars + label jitter), and a boot flicker-in.
+ * Dressed with the menu's CRT language: scanlines over the whole bar (the
+ * same 1px-dark-row tile as CyberOverlay) and the GlitchText RGB pull-apart
+ * on everything — icons, labels, and the panel outline itself on bursts.
  *
  * Everything is procedural — no image assets — and fully config-driven
  * (data/actionbar.json): slots, labels, accents, palette, and every
@@ -70,7 +73,20 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
       labelY: 16,
       iconSize: bc.iconSize ?? 26,
     };
-    this.idleGhost = anim.idleGhost ?? 0.09;
+    // The menu's CRT scanline tuning (data/theme.json) is the default, so
+    // the bar matches the menu unless actionbar.json overrides it.
+    const themeScan = config.section('theme.overlay', {}).scanline ?? {};
+    this.cfgScan = { pitch: 3, alpha: 0.14, ...themeScan, ...(ab.scanline ?? {}) };
+    // RGB pull-apart (the GlitchText motion model, scaled to button size):
+    // idleOffset px of constant chromatic fringe, burstOffset extra px at
+    // level 1, plus the ghost alphas.
+    this.cfgRgb = {
+      idleOffset: 1.8,
+      burstOffset: 6,
+      idleAlpha: 0.4,
+      burstAlpha: 0.55,
+      ...(anim.rgb ?? {}),
+    };
     this.cfgComet = { enabled: true, everyMs: [3600, 7800], durationMs: 950, ...(anim.comet ?? {}) };
     this.cfgGlitch = {
       enabled: true,
@@ -87,6 +103,7 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     this.cometT0 = null;
     this.cometDur = 1;
     this.nextCometAt = null;
+    this.level = 0; // RGB-split level 0..1 (GlitchText model, decays ~90 ms)
     this.burstT0 = null;
     this.burstDur = 1;
     this.nextBurstAt = null;
@@ -96,6 +113,7 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     this.buildBody(barW, barH);
     this.buildRails();
     this.buildSlots(ab, bc, x0, y0, barW, barH);
+    this.buildFx(barW, barH); // scanlines + panel RGB ghost (topmost of the bar)
     this.boot();
   }
 
@@ -226,16 +244,31 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
         _scaleTw: null,
       };
       s.panel = scene.add.graphics().setScrollFactor(0);
+      // RGB-split icon ghosts (the GlitchText technique on the menu title):
+      // additive magenta/cyan copies of the drawn icon, moved per frame.
+      s.iconGhostM = scene
+        .add.graphics()
+        .setPosition(0, iconY)
+        .setScrollFactor(0)
+        .setBlendMode(Phaser.BlendModes.ADD)
+        .setAlpha(0);
+      s.iconGhostC = scene
+        .add.graphics()
+        .setPosition(0, iconY)
+        .setScrollFactor(0)
+        .setBlendMode(Phaser.BlendModes.ADD)
+        .setAlpha(0);
       s.icon = scene.add.graphics().setPosition(0, iconY).setScrollFactor(0);
-      slot.add([s.panel, s.icon]);
+      slot.add([s.panel, s.iconGhostM, s.iconGhostC, s.icon]);
 
-      // Drawn icon (accent for live slots, dim for reserved sockets).
-      drawIcon(
-        s.icon,
-        live ? b.id : 'reserved',
-        iconSize,
-        live ? s.accent : this.style.reserved,
-      );
+      // Drawn icon (accent for live slots, dim for reserved sockets) —
+      // live slots also get their ghost copies in the split colors.
+      const iconKind = live ? b.id : 'reserved';
+      drawIcon(s.icon, iconKind, iconSize, live ? s.accent : this.style.reserved);
+      if (live) {
+        drawIcon(s.iconGhostM, iconKind, iconSize, 0xff2d6f);
+        drawIcon(s.iconGhostC, iconKind, iconSize, 0x00e5ff);
+      }
 
       if (live) {
         const labelText = String(b.label ?? '').toUpperCase();
@@ -289,6 +322,42 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The menu's CRT dressing, clipped to the bar: scanlines over the whole
+   * strip (body + buttons) and the panel RGB ghost — the cut-corner outline
+   * pulled apart in magenta/cyan while a glitch burst is live (the
+   * GlitchText technique applied to the bar itself).
+   */
+  buildFx(barW, barH) {
+    const { scene } = this;
+    const { x, y, w, h, cx, cy } = this.rect;
+
+    // Scanlines — the exact recipe CyberOverlay uses on the menu (one dark
+    // row per `pitch` rows, tiled), sized to the bar strip.
+    const sl = this.cfgScan;
+    const pitch = Math.max(2, Math.round(sl.pitch));
+    const scanKey = `__ab_scan_${pitch}`;
+    canvasTexture(scene, scanKey, 1, pitch, (ctx) => {
+      ctx.fillStyle = 'rgba(0,0,0,0.5)';
+      ctx.fillRect(0, pitch - 1, 1, 1); // one dark line every `pitch` rows
+    });
+    this.scanlines = scene
+      .add.tileSprite(cx, cy, w, h, scanKey)
+      .setScrollFactor(0)
+      .setAlpha(sl.alpha);
+    this.add(this.scanlines);
+
+    // Panel RGB ghost — same cut corners as the body (drawBarBody uses
+    // min(14, h*0.16)), stroke-only, additive; driven in update().
+    const cut = Math.max(4, Math.min(14, Math.round(barH * 0.16)));
+    this.ghostPanelM = scene.add.graphics().setScrollFactor(0).setBlendMode(Phaser.BlendModes.ADD).setAlpha(0);
+    CyberShape.draw(this.ghostPanelM, barW, barH, { notch: cut, stroke: 0xff2d6f, strokeAlpha: 1, lineWidth: 1.5 });
+    this.ghostPanelC = scene.add.graphics().setScrollFactor(0).setBlendMode(Phaser.BlendModes.ADD).setAlpha(0);
+    CyberShape.draw(this.ghostPanelC, barW, barH, { notch: cut, stroke: 0x00e5ff, strokeAlpha: 1, lineWidth: 1.5 });
+    this.add(this.ghostPanelM);
+    this.add(this.ghostPanelC);
+  }
+
   // ------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Slot states
   // ------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -438,11 +507,15 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
   // Glitch + comet
   // ------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  /** Fire a glitch burst right now (slice bars across the deck + jitter). */
-  triggerBurst(duration = 300, _intensity = 1) {
+  /**
+   * Fire a glitch burst right now: slice bars across the deck, and the RGB
+   * split (level → 1, decays in update) on icons, labels, and the panel.
+   */
+  triggerBurst(duration = 300, intensity = 1) {
     const now = this.lastTime ?? this.scene.time.now;
     this.burstT0 = now;
     this.burstDur = Math.max(1, duration);
+    this.level = Math.max(this.level, intensity);
     this.spawnSlices();
   }
 
@@ -536,10 +609,21 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
       }
       if (this.burstT0 !== null && time - this.burstT0 >= this.burstDur) this.burstT0 = null;
     }
-    const level =
-      this.burstT0 === null ? 0 : Math.max(0, 1 - (time - this.burstT0) / this.burstDur);
+    // RGB-split level: pushed to 1 on burst trigger, decays ~90 ms — the
+    // GlitchText model (fast snap, while the slice bars linger longer).
+    this.level *= Math.exp(-(delta / 90));
+    if (this.level < 0.002) this.level = 0;
+    const L = this.level;
+    const rgb = this.cfgRgb;
+    const idle = 0.65 + 0.35 * Math.sin(t * 1.9);
+    const off = rgb.idleOffset * idle + L * rgb.burstOffset;
+    const flick = 0.6 + 0.4 * Math.sin(t * 3.3);
+    const baseA = Math.min(1, rgb.idleAlpha * flick + L * rgb.burstAlpha);
 
-    // Slots: idle RGB shimmer, hover ghosts, and burst jitter.
+    // Slots: the menu's RGB pull-apart on icon + label — magenta left,
+    // cyan right (GlitchText's exact offsets), always a faint fringe at
+    // idle, pulled apart + jittered during bursts; per-slot phase so the
+    // six buttons don't shimmer in lockstep.
     for (const s of this.slots) {
       if (!s.live) {
         if (s.resDot) {
@@ -547,17 +631,24 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
         }
         continue;
       }
-      const idle = s.hoverOn
-        ? 0.85
-        : this.idleGhost * (0.55 + 0.45 * Math.sin(t * 2.2 + s.phase));
-      const ghostA = Math.max(idle, level * 0.8);
-      s.ghostCyan.setAlpha(ghostA);
-      s.ghostMagenta.setAlpha(ghostA * 0.9);
-      const jx = level * 2.6 * Math.sin(time * 0.061 + s.phase * 7);
-      const jy = level * 1.6 * Math.sin(time * 0.043 + s.phase * 5);
-      s.ghostCyan.setPosition(-1.8 + jx, this.style.labelY + jy * 0.4);
-      s.ghostMagenta.setPosition(1.8 - jx * 0.6, this.style.labelY - jy * 0.5);
-      s.label.setPosition(jx * 0.5, this.style.labelY + jy * 0.5);
+      const jx = L * 6 * Math.sin(time * 0.053 + s.phase * 3.1) * Math.sin(time * 0.021 + 1.7 + s.phase);
+      const jy = L * 4 * Math.sin(time * 0.083 + 0.4 + s.phase * 2.3);
+      const a = s.hoverOn ? Math.min(1, baseA + 0.25) : baseA;
+      s.ghostMagenta.setAlpha(a).setPosition(-off + jx, this.style.labelY + jy * 0.5);
+      s.ghostCyan.setAlpha(a * 0.95).setPosition(off * 0.85, this.style.labelY - off * 0.3 + jy);
+      s.iconGhostM.setAlpha(a * 0.8).setPosition(-off + jx, this.style.iconY + jy * 0.5);
+      s.iconGhostC.setAlpha(a * 0.75).setPosition(off * 0.85, this.style.iconY - off * 0.3 + jy);
+    }
+
+    // The bar itself: the panel outline pulled apart in magenta/cyan while
+    // the burst is live — the RGB separation on the bar, not just the text.
+    if (L > 0.02) {
+      const po = 2 + L * 5;
+      this.ghostPanelM.setAlpha(L * 0.5).setPosition(-po, L * 1.5);
+      this.ghostPanelC.setAlpha(L * 0.45).setPosition(po * 0.85, -po * 0.3);
+    } else {
+      this.ghostPanelM.setAlpha(0);
+      this.ghostPanelC.setAlpha(0);
     }
 
     // Reap expired slice bars.