diff --git a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
index b292e9a6..ca62ed34 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
@@ -744,6 +744,16 @@ func _next_building(city: Variant, player: Variant, city_count: int, has_settler
 	# Forge FIRST — doubles production from 2 to 4, accelerates everything after
 	if not city.has_building("forge"):
 		return "forge"
+	# Count military BEFORE economic buildings — ensures attacks start by ~turn 60
+	# instead of ~turn 150. Prior build order (walls/marketplace/worker before any
+	# warrior) pushed first warrior to turn 51 on seed 1; enemy expanded past us.
+	var early_mil: int = 0
+	if player != null:
+		for u: Variant in player.units:
+			if u.is_alive() and u.get("can_found_city") != true and u.get("can_build_improvements") != true:
+				early_mil += 1
+	if early_mil < 2:
+		return ""  # warrior — rush two before any defensive/economic building
 	# Then walls for defense
 	if not city.has_building("walls"):
 		return "walls"