diff --git a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
index ffd49e5b..54f2de10 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
@@ -375,21 +375,51 @@ func _manage_production(city: Variant) -> void:
 			for u: Variant in player.units:
 				if u.get("can_found_city") == true:
 					has_settler = true
-		# Build walls first (defense)
-		if not city.has_building("walls"):
-			city.add_to_queue("building", "walls")
-		# Then happiness building
-		elif player.happiness < -4 and not city.has_building("brewery") and player.has_tech("brewing"):
-			city.add_to_queue("building", "brewery")
-		# Then expand
-		elif city_count < 3 and not has_settler:
-			city.add_to_queue("unit", "settler")
-		# Then forge
-		elif not city.has_building("forge"):
-			city.add_to_queue("building", "forge")
-		# Then warriors
+		# Smart build order: interleave buildings with military
+		var built: String = _next_building(city, player, city_count, has_settler)
+		if not built.is_empty():
+			if built == "settler":
+				city.add_to_queue("unit", "settler")
+			else:
+				city.add_to_queue("building", built)
 		else:
 			city.add_to_queue("unit", "warrior")
+
+
+func _next_building(city: Variant, player: Variant, city_count: int, has_settler: bool) -> String:
+	## Return the next building/unit to produce, or "" for warrior.
+	# Walls first (defense)
+	if not city.has_building("walls"):
+		return "walls"
+	# One warrior before expanding
+	var military: int = 0
+	for u: Variant in player.units:
+		if u.is_alive() and u.get("can_found_city") != true:
+			military += 1
+	if military == 0:
+		return ""  # build warrior
+	# Expand to 3 cities
+	if city_count < 3 and not has_settler:
+		return "settler"
+	# Economic buildings (cycle through all available)
+	var econ_buildings: Array[Array] = [
+		["forge", ""],           # no tech needed
+		["brewery", "brewing"],
+		["library", "scholarship"],
+		["marketplace", "trade_routes"],
+		["barracks", "military_doctrine"],
+		["monument", "ancestor_rites"],
+		["castle", "fortification"],
+	]
+	for entry: Array in econ_buildings:
+		var bid: String = entry[0]
+		var tech: String = entry[1]
+		if city.has_building(bid):
+			continue
+		if not tech.is_empty() and not player.has_tech(tech):
+			continue
+		return bid
+	return ""  # all buildings built, produce warriors
 	if _turn_count <= 5 or _turn_count % 20 == 0:
 		var q_size: int = city.production_queue.size()
 		var progress: int = city.production_progress