diff --git a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
index 3ed82d0b..50774ce3 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
@@ -392,73 +392,6 @@ func _process(_delta: float) -> void:
 		_frame = 0
 
 
-func _teleport_scout_near_lair() -> void:
-	# Test scaffold: move player 0's scout adjacent to the nearest lair to
-	# guarantee lair-clearing is exercised. Without this, scouts rarely
-	# cross the 5+ hex min_distance_from_start gap to reach a lair.
-	var game_map: RefCounted = GameState.get_game_map()
-	if game_map == null or GameState.players.is_empty():
-		return
-	var player: RefCounted = GameState.players[0]
-	var scout: RefCounted = null
-	for u: RefCounted in player.units:
-		if u.get("can_found_city") != true and u.is_alive():
-			scout = u
-			break
-	if scout == null:
-		return
-	# Build tier lookup from wilds config so we can prefer low-tier lairs
-	# (a tier-7 Volcanic Fissure annihilates a fresh scout every attempt).
-	var wilds_cfg: Dictionary = DataLoader.get_wilds_config()
-	var tier_by_type: Dictionary = {}
-	for lt_entry: Dictionary in wilds_cfg.get("lair_types", []):
-		tier_by_type[lt_entry.get("id", "")] = int(lt_entry.get("base_tier", 4))
-	var lair_positions: Array[Vector2i] = []
-	for axial: Vector2i in game_map.tiles:
-		var tile: Resource = game_map.tiles[axial]
-		if tile != null and tile.lair_type != "":
-			lair_positions.append(axial)
-	if lair_positions.is_empty():
-		return
-	# Pick the lowest-tier lair (break ties by distance).
-	var target_lair: Vector2i = lair_positions[0]
-	var target_tile: Resource = game_map.get_tile(target_lair)
-	var target_tier: int = int(tier_by_type.get(
-		target_tile.lair_type if target_tile != null else "", 99))
-	var target_dist: int = HexUtilsScript.hex_distance(scout.position, target_lair)
-	for lp: Vector2i in lair_positions:
-		var lt_tile: Resource = game_map.get_tile(lp)
-		var tier: int = int(tier_by_type.get(
-			lt_tile.lair_type if lt_tile != null else "", 99))
-		var d: int = HexUtilsScript.hex_distance(scout.position, lp)
-		if tier < target_tier or (tier == target_tier and d < target_dist):
-			target_tier = tier
-			target_dist = d
-			target_lair = lp
-	var water_biomes: Array = ["ocean", "coast", "deep_ocean", "lake", "inland_sea", "reef"]
-	for n: Vector2i in HexUtilsScript.get_neighbors(target_lair):
-		var norm: Vector2i = HexUtilsScript.normalize_position(
-			n, game_map.width, game_map.height, game_map.wrap_mode
-		)
-		var tile: Resource = game_map.get_tile(norm)
-		if tile == null or tile.biome_id in water_biomes:
-			continue
-		var from: Vector2i = scout.position
-		scout.position = norm
-		# Test scaffold: buff the scout enough to clear a low-tier lair.
-		# Without this, tier 5-7 wild creatures annihilate a base scout
-		# and the loot path never fires.
-		scout.max_hp = 200
-		scout.hp = 200
-		scout.attack = 40
-		scout.defense = 20
-		_recalc_vision(player, game_map)
-		print("AutoPlay: teleported scout from %s to %s (lair %s at %s, buffed)" % [
-			from, norm, tile.lair_type if tile != null else "?", target_lair
-		])
-		return
-
-
 func _count_lairs_on_map() -> void:
 	var game_map: RefCounted = GameState.get_game_map()
 	if game_map == null:
@@ -1395,6 +1328,15 @@ func _explore(unit: Variant, player: RefCounted, game_map: RefCounted) -> void:
 	if reachable.size() <= 1:
 		return
 
+	# If a visible lair exists, path toward the closest one. Once adjacent,
+	# `_try_attack_adjacent_lair` (called next frame) fires the combat.
+	var target_lair: Vector2i = _find_closest_visible_lair(unit.position, player, game_map)
+	if target_lair.x >= 0:
+		var step: Vector2i = _step_toward(unit.position, target_lair, reachable)
+		if step != unit.position:
+			_do_move(unit, step, game_map)
+			return
+
 	# Find founder position for proximity bias
 	var founder_pos: Vector2i = Vector2i(-1, -1)
 	for u: Variant in player.units:
@@ -1413,6 +1355,7 @@ func _explore(unit: Variant, player: RefCounted, game_map: RefCounted) -> void:
 			any_valid = pos
 		var fog_count: float = 0.0
 		var food_hint: float = 0.0
+		var lair_adjacent: float = 0.0
 		var neighbors: Array[Vector2i] = HexUtilsScript.get_neighbors(pos)
 		for n: Vector2i in neighbors:
 			var norm: Vector2i = HexUtilsScript.normalize_position(
@@ -1426,7 +1369,9 @@ func _explore(unit: Variant, player: RefCounted, game_map: RefCounted) -> void:
 			else:
 				var ny: Dictionary = tile.get_yields(player.index)
 				food_hint += float(int(ny.get("food", 0)))
-		var score: float = fog_count * 2.0 + food_hint * 3.0
+				if tile.lair_type != "":
+					lair_adjacent += 1.0
+		var score: float = fog_count * 2.0 + food_hint * 3.0 + lair_adjacent * 20.0
 		if founder_pos.x >= 0:
 			var dist: int = HexUtilsScript.hex_distance(pos, founder_pos)
 			if dist <= 5: