diff --git a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
index 82024346..feb5537c 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/scenes/tests/auto_play.gd
@@ -1075,6 +1075,13 @@ func _next_building(city: Variant, player: Variant, city_count: int, has_founder
 		_score_add(scores, "worker", 7.0)
 	if unimproved_food > 0 and own_workers < city_count and int(city.population) >= 2:
 		_score_add(scores, "worker", 4.0)
+	# First worker is a strong priority once pop can spare the food —
+	# tile improvements are the primary long-term yield multiplier.
+	if own_workers == 0 and int(city.population) >= 2:
+		_score_add(scores, "worker", 10.0)
+	# Keep worker supply replenished: one worker per city after first.
+	if own_workers < city_count and int(city.population) >= 3:
+		_score_add(scores, "worker", 3.0)
 	if gold_now < 20 and gpt < 0:
 		_score_add(scores, "marketplace", 7.0)
 	if not city.has_building("forge"):
diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/simple_heuristic_ai.gd b/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/simple_heuristic_ai.gd
index e2b75571..ac5d86c3 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/simple_heuristic_ai.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/simple_heuristic_ai.gd
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ const FOUND_MIN_DIST_OWN: int = 4
 ## deadlock founders that spawned near each other (observed in arena
 ## smoke tests where start placement put both players on tile 0,0).
 const FOUND_MIN_DIST_ENEMY: int = 1
-const RETREAT_HP_FRACTION: float = 0.4
-const DEFENSIVE_CHASE_RANGE: int = 12
+const RETREAT_HP_FRACTION: float = 0.15
+const DEFENSIVE_CHASE_RANGE: int = 8
 const MILITARY_COMBAT_TYPES: Array[String] = [
 	"melee", "ranged", "cavalry", "siege",
 ]
@@ -574,8 +574,14 @@ static func _decide_production(
 	):
 		return _prod_unit(city_index, "founder")
 
-	# Priority 4: Military — maintain 2 warriors per city
-	var want_military: bool = military_count < maxi(2, city_count * 2)
+	# Priority 4: Military — maintain 2 warriors per city, scaling up to
+	# match enemy's FULL army when they're closing on us so we don't lose
+	# on parity once reserves arrive.
+	var enemy_mil: int = enemy_total if threatened else 0
+	var mil_target: int = maxi(4, city_count * 3)
+	if enemy_mil > 0:
+		mil_target = maxi(mil_target, enemy_mil + 1)
+	var want_military: bool = military_count < mil_target
 	if want_military:
 		var unit_id: String = _pick_buildable_military_unit_id(city, player)
 		if not unit_id.is_empty():
diff --git a/src/simulator/crates/mc-city/src/city.rs b/src/simulator/crates/mc-city/src/city.rs
index 438efbec..282c665d 100644
--- a/src/simulator/crates/mc-city/src/city.rs
+++ b/src/simulator/crates/mc-city/src/city.rs
@@ -99,11 +99,12 @@ impl TileYield {
     }
 }
 
-/// Food consumed per citizen per turn. Lowered from 1.2 → 1.0 so late-game
-/// cities don't stall against the exponential threshold curve. At pop 20,
-/// consumption drops 24 → 20, freeing ~4 food/turn for growth. Target:
-/// median p0_pop_peak ≥ 30 at T300 (Civ5-like capital size).
-pub const FOOD_PER_POP: f64 = 1.0;
+/// Food consumed per citizen per turn. Tuned to 1.2 (well below Civ5's 2.0)
+/// so small cities can climb past the pop 2↔3 oscillation observed in iter10.
+/// With 4-food center: pop 3 needs 3.6, breakeven on center alone (+0.4
+/// surplus); pop 4 = 4.8, covered by one 1-food tile; pop 6 = 7.2, reachable
+/// with two decent food tiles. Target: median p0_pop_peak ≥ 7 at T150.
+pub const FOOD_PER_POP: f64 = 1.2;
 
 /// Fraction of the previous growth threshold retained as stored food on
 /// growth (Civ5-style always-on granary effect). Each new pop starts with a
@@ -724,10 +725,10 @@ mod tests {
     fn food_surplus_calculation() {
         let mut city = City::found("Ironhold", (5, 5), true, 1);
         city.population = 1;
-        // With no tile yields, city center gives 3 food.
-        // Surplus = 3.0 - 2.0*1 = 1.0
+        // With no tile yields, city center gives 4 food.
+        // Surplus = 4.0 - 1.2*1 = 2.8
         let surplus = city.get_food_surplus(&[]);
-        assert!((surplus - 1.0).abs() < f64::EPSILON);
+        assert!((surplus - 2.8).abs() < 1e-9);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -740,27 +741,24 @@ mod tests {
         let ty = vec![
             TileYield { coord: (6, 5), food: 5.0, ..TileYield::default() },
         ];
-        // Surplus per turn: (3 + 5) - 2*1 = 6.0
+        // Surplus per turn: (4 + 5) - 1.2*1 = 7.8
         // Threshold at pop 1: 15.0
-        // Turn 1: food_stored = 6
+        // Turn 1: food_stored = 7.8
         assert_eq!(city.process_growth(&ty), 0);
-        assert_eq!(city.food_stored, 6.0);
-        // Turn 2: food_stored = 12
-        assert_eq!(city.process_growth(&ty), 0);
-        assert_eq!(city.food_stored, 12.0);
-        // Turn 3: food_stored = 18 >= 15 → grow, carry 3.0
+        assert!((city.food_stored - 7.8).abs() < 1e-9);
+        // Turn 2: food_stored = 15.6 >= 15 → grow, carry 0.6
         assert_eq!(city.process_growth(&ty), 1);
         assert_eq!(city.population, 2);
-        assert_eq!(city.food_stored, 3.0); // 18 - 15 = 3
+        assert!((city.food_stored - 0.6).abs() < 1e-9);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn process_growth_starvation() {
         let mut city = City::found("Ironhold", (5, 5), true, 1);
-        city.population = 3;
-        // No worked tiles beyond center → yields = 3 food
-        // Consumption = 2*3 = 6. Surplus = 3 - 6 = -3
-        // food_stored starts at 0, then 0 + (-3) = -3 < 0, pop > 1 → starve
+        city.population = 5;
+        // No worked tiles beyond center → yields = 4 food
+        // Consumption = 1.2*5 = 6.0. Surplus = 4 - 6.0 = -2.0
+        // food_stored: 0 + (-2.0) = -2.0 < 0, pop > 1 → starve
         let ty: Vec<TileYield> = vec![];
         assert_eq!(city.process_growth(&ty), -1);
         assert_eq!(city.population, 4);