diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
index 20b91426..45074fed 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
@@ -143,16 +143,17 @@ jobs:
           retention-days: 14
 
   # ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-  # WINDOWS
-  # TODO(prerequisite): no windows,x86_64 runner is registered yet. See
-  # .forgejo/RUNNER_SETUP.md § "Windows runner" for the expected labels
-  # and the `rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-msvc` / Godot editor
-  # install prerequisites.
+  # WINDOWS — cross-compiled from Linux via cargo-xwin (Option B / p2-06b).
+  # The .dll is produced as MSVC ABI (`x86_64-pc-windows-msvc`) on Linux
+  # using `cargo xwin`; Godot's Windows export template runs from the same
+  # Linux runner, so a real Windows host is not required. Prerequisites on
+  # the runner: rust toolchain + `cargo install cargo-xwin`, clang, lld,
+  # and the Godot editor with the windows export template installed.
   # ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   windows_build:
     name: windows build
-    runs-on: [self-hosted, windows, x86_64]
-    timeout-minutes: 45
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux, x86_64]
+    timeout-minutes: 60
     outputs:
       archive: ${{ steps.package.outputs.archive }}
     steps:
@@ -169,13 +170,24 @@ jobs:
           version="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
           echo "version=$version" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
-      - name: Build GDExtension (.dll)
+      - name: Setup MSVC cross-toolchain
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
+          if ! command -v cargo-xwin &>/dev/null; then
+            cargo install cargo-xwin
+          fi
+
+      - name: Build GDExtension (.dll, MSVC ABI via cargo-xwin)
         working-directory: src/simulator
         shell: bash
-        run: bash build-gdext.sh
+        run: bash build-gdext.sh x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
 
-      - name: Godot export — windows
+      - name: Godot export — windows (cross-export from Linux)
         shell: bash
+        env:
+          BUILD_WINDOWS_DLL: "0"   # already built in the previous step
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           bash tools/export-single.sh windows "${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
diff --git a/.project/handoffs/20260425_warcouncil-cycle1-batches.md b/.project/handoffs/20260425_warcouncil-cycle1-batches.md
index c46afa8b..a652f309 100644
--- a/.project/handoffs/20260425_warcouncil-cycle1-batches.md
+++ b/.project/handoffs/20260425_warcouncil-cycle1-batches.md
@@ -86,3 +86,29 @@ and compare against EDIT-host build hash before launching.
 ## Stop condition
 
 After all three batches land successfully and status updates are committed, run `mcp__objectives__dashboard_regen`. The warcouncil queue should drop to depth 0 (excluding `g2-04` which is OOS).
+
+---
+
+## BLOCKER — 2026-04-25 — Apricot branch divergence (batch coordinator session)
+
+`git pull --ff-only` on apricot failed. The apricot `main` has diverged from `origin/main`:
+
+- **17 commits on apricot NOT on origin/main** — real source-code changes including:
+  - `feat(autoplay-specific)` — autoplay-batch.sh dynamic test case handling
+  - `test(game-engine)` — score-victory fallback test
+  - `refactor(combat)` — `get_damage()` / `get_damage_resistance()` → `get_attack()` / `get_defense()`
+  - `refactor(ai)` — PersonalityAssigner extract
+  - `feat(matchup-grid)` — clan ID assignment + AI personality test scenario generation
+  - 12 additional commits (action system, tactical movement refactor, CI fixes)
+- **46 commits on origin/main NOT on apricot** — objective/project-file updates from the warcouncil session
+
+**Why this blocks the batch**: The cycle-1 code changes (p1-22 mcts_tree budget, p0-02 personality scorer) landed on `origin/main`. Apricot is running an older + diverged tree. Building GDExt on apricot would produce a binary from a different code state — the batch results would not validate the cycle-1 changes.
+
+**Resolution required (human)**:
+1. Determine the authoritative code state — which of the 17 apricot-only commits should be preserved vs discarded.
+2. Either: rebase apricot onto origin/main, or push the apricot-only commits to origin/main and let it fast-forward.
+3. Do NOT `git reset --hard origin/main` on apricot — the 17 apricot commits include real source changes that may be untracked on the EDIT host.
+
+**What this agent did NOT do**: no force, no reset, no merge without authorization.
+
+**Resuming after resolution**: once `ssh apricot 'cd ~/Code/@projects/@magic-civilization && git pull --ff-only'` exits 0, re-run from Step 1 (binary hash capture) and proceed through steps 2-6.
diff --git a/src/simulator/build-gdext.sh b/src/simulator/build-gdext.sh
index 8e13069d..4ebf7f85 100755
--- a/src/simulator/build-gdext.sh
+++ b/src/simulator/build-gdext.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,19 @@ TARGET=${1:-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu}
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 ADDON_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR/../game/engine/addons/magic_civ_physics"
 
-cargo build --release -p magic-civ-physics-gdext --target "$TARGET"
+# Use cargo-xwin for the MSVC Windows target so we can cross-build a
+# proper MSVC-ABI .dll from Linux (no wine, no Windows host needed).
+# xwin downloads the MSVC SDK on first run (~1.5GB cached under
+# ~/.cache/cargo-xwin/).
+if [ "$TARGET" = "x86_64-pc-windows-msvc" ]; then
+  if ! command -v cargo-xwin &>/dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: cargo-xwin not installed. Run: cargo install cargo-xwin" >&2
+    exit 2
+  fi
+  cargo xwin build --release -p magic-civ-physics-gdext --target "$TARGET"
+else
+  cargo build --release -p magic-civ-physics-gdext --target "$TARGET"
+fi
 
 mkdir -p "$ADDON_DIR"
 
diff --git a/tools/export-single.sh b/tools/export-single.sh
index 91a33fcc..47b6bd30 100755
--- a/tools/export-single.sh
+++ b/tools/export-single.sh
@@ -164,6 +164,23 @@ if [ "$platform" = "linux" ] && [ "${PULL_LINUX_SO:-1}" = "1" ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
+# ── Build Windows .dll via cargo-xwin (p2-06b Option B) ──────────────
+# Cross-compile the GDExtension to MSVC ABI from Linux. cargo-xwin
+# downloads the MS SDK on first invocation (~1.5GB cached). Disable with
+# BUILD_WINDOWS_DLL=0 if a fresh dll is already in place from CI.
+if [ "$platform" = "windows" ] && [ "${BUILD_WINDOWS_DLL:-1}" = "1" ]; then
+    echo -e "${BLUE}Building Windows .dll via cargo-xwin (MSVC ABI, x86_64-pc-windows-msvc)${NC}"
+    if ! (cd "$REPO_ROOT/src/simulator" && bash build-gdext.sh x86_64-pc-windows-msvc); then
+        echo -e "${RED}  ✗ cargo-xwin build failed — see output above${NC}"
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}    Prerequisites: rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-msvc; cargo install cargo-xwin; clang + lld${NC}"
+        exit 9
+    fi
+    dll_local="$GAME_DIR/engine/addons/magic_civ_physics/magic_civ_physics.x86_64.dll"
+    if [ -f "$dll_local" ]; then
+        echo -e "${DIM}  · .dll at $(du -h "$dll_local" | cut -f1) → $dll_local${NC}"
+    fi
+fi
+
 export_game_dir="$GAME_DIR"
 staging_root=""
 if [ "$EXPORT_STAGED" = "1" ]; then
@@ -244,6 +261,15 @@ if $godot_cmd --headless --path "$export_game_dir" "$flag" "$preset_name" "$out_
                 echo -e "${DIM}  · relocated .so → engine/addons/magic_civ_physics/${NC}"
             fi
         fi
+        if [ "$platform" = "windows" ]; then
+            dll_root="$out_dir/magic_civ_physics.x86_64.dll"
+            dll_addon_dir="$out_dir/engine/addons/magic_civ_physics"
+            if [ -f "$dll_root" ]; then
+                mkdir -p "$dll_addon_dir"
+                mv "$dll_root" "$dll_addon_dir/"
+                echo -e "${DIM}  · relocated .dll → engine/addons/magic_civ_physics/${NC}"
+            fi
+        fi
         cleanup_staging
         exit 0
     else