diff --git a/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/src/dispatch.rs b/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/src/dispatch.rs
index 99b72de6..e621da92 100644
--- a/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/src/dispatch.rs
+++ b/src/simulator/crates/mc-player-api/src/dispatch.rs
@@ -976,7 +976,12 @@ fn translate_processor_events(events: &[mc_replay::TurnEvent]) -> Vec<Event> {
 ///      counted but DO NOT abort the rest of the turn — a single
 ///      unknown unit or illegal move must not collapse the entire AI
 ///      side (matches the GDScript dispatch behaviour).
-fn drive_ai_slot(state: &mut GameState, ai_slot: u8) -> u32 {
+/// Drive one AI slot for a turn: project vision, run the slot's controller
+/// (`run_ai_turn` by default), and apply the chosen actions. Public so headless
+/// multi-clan benches (`dominion_bench`) can drive the *real* AI through the
+/// same path the interactive game uses (`apply_end_turn`), instead of relying
+/// on `mc-turn`'s inline fallback movement. Returns the action count.
+pub fn drive_ai_slot(state: &mut GameState, ai_slot: u8) -> u32 {
     let pi: usize = ai_slot as usize;
     if pi >= state.players.len() {
         return 0;
diff --git a/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/Cargo.toml b/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/Cargo.toml
index 21f4d750..3524c67f 100644
--- a/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/Cargo.toml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ mc-city      = { path = "../mc-city" }
 mc-culture   = { path = "../mc-culture" }
 mc-economy   = { path = "../mc-economy" }
 mc-ai        = { path = "../mc-ai" }
+mc-player-api = { path = "../mc-player-api" }
 serde.workspace      = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
 rayon           = "1"
diff --git a/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/src/bin/dominion_bench.rs b/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/src/bin/dominion_bench.rs
index ef38321e..14a33063 100644
--- a/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/src/bin/dominion_bench.rs
+++ b/src/simulator/crates/mc-sim/src/bin/dominion_bench.rs
@@ -355,7 +355,20 @@ fn run_scenario_with_profiles(num_players: usize, all_profiles: &[ProfileJson])
                 ..Default::default()            }],
             unit_upkeep: vec![],
             strategic_axes: make_axes(profile),
-            scoring_weights: ScoringWeights::default(),
+            // Real per-personality scoring weights (military/expansion/etc.),
+            // the same source the live game uses (`ScoringWeights::from_personality`).
+            // Without these the AI scores every action ~0 and `drive_ai_slot`
+            // produces no moves — the inert `default()` was why the bench showed
+            // zero PvP. Falls back to default if the personality file is absent.
+            scoring_weights: ScoringWeights::from_personality(
+                &profile.id,
+                &Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"))
+                    .ancestors()
+                    .nth(2)
+                    .expect("workspace root")
+                    .join("public/resources/ai/personalities"),
+            )
+            .unwrap_or_default(),
             expansion_points: 0,
             city_buildings: vec![vec![]],
             city_improvements: Default::default(),
@@ -413,6 +426,14 @@ fn run_scenario_with_profiles(num_players: usize, all_profiles: &[ProfileJson])
     let mut victory_turn: Option<u32> = None;
 
     for turn_num in 1..=TOTAL_TURNS {
+        // Drive every slot's REAL AI (`run_ai_turn` via the controller registry)
+        // before the turn resolves — the same `drive_ai_slot` the interactive
+        // game runs inside `apply_end_turn`. Without this the bench relied on
+        // `mc-turn`'s inline `nearest_lair` fallback (PvE only → zero PvP). All
+        // slots are AI here (no human), so we drive all of them.
+        for slot in 0..state.players.len() as u8 {
+            mc_player_api::dispatch::drive_ai_slot(&mut state, slot);
+        }
         let result = processor.step(&mut state);
 
         // Track unit production per player.