diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_resolver.gd b/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_resolver.gd
index 23c897e5..3abd0594 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_resolver.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_resolver.gd
@@ -97,30 +97,48 @@ func preview(
 
 
 ## Apply the Rust resolve result to live unit/city objects and emit follow-on events.
+##
+## GdCombatResolver.resolve() (see api-gdext/src/lib.rs) returns these keys:
+##   attacker_hp, defender_hp, attacker_damage, defender_damage,
+##   attacker_killed, defender_killed, attacker_xp, defender_xp,
+##   city_damage, city_hp_remaining, life_drain_heal
+## This used to read `attacker_alive` / `defender_alive` / `damage_dealt`
+## which never existed in the Rust dict, so kill detection silently
+## defaulted to "everyone lives" and no combat death ever propagated to
+## EventBus. Read the Rust keys directly now.
 func _apply_resolve_results(
 	attacker: RefCounted,
 	defender: RefCounted,
 	result: Dictionary,
 	all_units: Array,
 ) -> void:
-	var attacker_hp: int = result.get("attacker_hp", attacker.hp)
-	var defender_hp: int = result.get("defender_hp", defender.hp if defender is UnitScript else 0)
+	var attacker_hp: int = int(result.get("attacker_hp", attacker.hp))
+	var defender_hp_default: int = defender.hp if defender is UnitScript else 0
+	var defender_hp: int = int(result.get("defender_hp", defender_hp_default))
 
 	attacker.hp = attacker_hp
 	if defender is UnitScript:
 		defender.hp = defender_hp
 	elif defender is CityScript:
-		defender.city_hp = result.get("city_hp_remaining", defender.city_hp)
+		defender.city_hp = int(result.get("city_hp_remaining", defender.city_hp))
 
-	var attacker_alive: bool = result.get("attacker_alive", attacker.hp > 0)
-	var defender_alive: bool = result.get("defender_alive", true)
+	var attacker_killed: bool = bool(
+		result.get("attacker_killed", attacker_hp <= 0)
+	)
+	var defender_is_unit: bool = defender is UnitScript
+	var defender_killed: bool
+	if defender_is_unit:
+		defender_killed = bool(
+			result.get("defender_killed", defender_hp <= 0)
+		)
+	else:
+		defender_killed = int(result.get("city_hp_remaining", 1)) <= 0
 
-	if not defender_alive:
-		if defender is UnitScript:
-			CombatUtilsScript.handle_unit_death(defender, attacker, all_units)
-			if infusion_system != null:
-				infusion_system.on_unit_killed(attacker)
-	if not attacker_alive:
+	if defender_killed and defender_is_unit:
+		CombatUtilsScript.handle_unit_death(defender, attacker, all_units)
+		if infusion_system != null:
+			infusion_system.on_unit_killed(attacker)
+	if attacker_killed:
 		CombatUtilsScript.handle_unit_death(attacker, defender, all_units)
 		if infusion_system != null:
 			infusion_system.on_unit_killed(defender)
@@ -128,13 +146,13 @@ func _apply_resolve_results(
 	if result.get("captured", false) and defender is CityScript:
 		CombatUtilsScript.capture_city(defender, attacker, defender.owner, all_units)
 
-	var attack_xp: int = result.get("attacker_xp", 0)
-	var defend_xp: int = result.get("defender_xp", 0)
+	var attack_xp: int = int(result.get("attacker_xp", 0))
+	var defend_xp: int = int(result.get("defender_xp", 0))
 
-	if attacker_alive and attacker is UnitScript:
+	if not attacker_killed and attacker is UnitScript:
 		attacker.gain_xp(attack_xp)
 		_check_promotion(attacker)
-	if defender_alive and defender is UnitScript:
+	if not defender_killed and defender_is_unit:
 		defender.gain_xp(defend_xp)
 		_check_promotion(defender)
 
diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_utils.gd b/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_utils.gd
index 37e3eef4..04ee1d40 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_utils.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/modules/combat/combat_utils.gd
@@ -75,11 +75,16 @@ static func handle_unit_death(unit: RefCounted, killer: RefCounted, all_units: A
 		return
 
 	# Drop equipped items as ground loot before removing the unit.
+	# ItemSystem.drop_all_loot wants the dying unit's tile, not the whole
+	# map — passing the map used to Array-type-error the FFI and abort the
+	# death handler before it could emit unit_destroyed.
 	var primary_layer: Dictionary = GameState.get_primary_layer()
 	if not primary_layer.is_empty():
 		var game_map: RefCounted = primary_layer.get("map")
 		if game_map != null:
-			ItemSystemScript.drop_all_loot(unit, game_map)
+			var tile: Resource = game_map.get_tile(unit.position) as Resource
+			if tile != null:
+				ItemSystemScript.drop_all_loot(unit, tile)
 
 	all_units.erase(unit)