diff --git a/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/tests/common/mod.rs b/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/tests/common/mod.rs
index 2fde6e6a..d267fde1 100644
--- a/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ pub fn add_player_militarist_inline(
 
     state.players.push(PlayerState {
         player_index: pi,
+        // Game 1 is all-dwarf. The real engine sets this from presentation
+        // metadata (api-gdext set_player_presentation -> p.race_id); the
+        // tactical production picker filters race-gated units (dwarf_warrior
+        // has race_required="dwarf") by it, so an empty race_id makes
+        // pick_best_unit_for_clan reject every unit and fall back to the
+        // phantom "warrior" id — which the queue classifier then treats as a
+        // building, so the AI never spawns a unit. Mirror the engine here.
+        race_id: "dwarf".into(),
         gold: 60,
         cities: vec![mc_city::CityState::starter()],
         unit_upkeep: Vec::new(),
@@ -133,7 +141,12 @@ pub fn build_unit_catalog() -> Vec<TacticalUnitSpec> {
             id: "dwarf_warrior".into(),
             tier: 1,
             tech_required: None,
-            unit_type: "military".into(),
+            // Combat archetype, NOT the "military" ai_tag. The tactical picker
+            // (pick_best_unit_of_type) filters on unit_type ∈ {melee,ranged,siege};
+            // the real units JSON uses "melee" for dwarf_warrior. A bogus
+            // "military" here matches no preferred type, so the picker falls back
+            // to the phantom "warrior" id and the AI never spawns a unit.
+            unit_type: "melee".into(),
             requires_resource: None,
             race_required: Some("dwarf".into()),
             clan_affinity: Vec::new(),
@@ -155,7 +168,7 @@ pub fn build_unit_catalog() -> Vec<TacticalUnitSpec> {
             id: "pikeman".into(),
             tier: 2,
             tech_required: Some("iron_working".into()),
-            unit_type: "military".into(),
+            unit_type: "melee".into(),
             requires_resource: None,
             race_required: None,
             clan_affinity: Vec::new(),