clay-borg/editions/experiments/h1-problem-stress/VARIANT.md

# Experiment H1 — problem pressure + high-stress ATTACK self-soothe

| | |
|---|---|
| **variant_id** | `h1-problem-stress` |
| **base** | `ground-darvo-r0` |
| **status** | experimental (not baseline) |
| **catalog** | [`../../catalog.yaml`](../../catalog.yaml) |
| **design note** | [`../../../history/260807-attack-darvo-stress-design.md`](../../../history/260807-attack-darvo-stress-design.md) |
| **workplan** | [`../../../workplans/GROUND-WP-0006-h1-problem-stress-experiment.md`](../../../workplans/GROUND-WP-0006-h1-problem-stress-experiment.md) |

## Hypothesis

If unsolved shared Problems raise Stress, and high-Stress ATTACK returns a small self-relief, then competent play will sometimes arm DARVO and sometimes select ATTACK, without making always-ATTACK optimal.

## Deltas (only)

### H1-A — Problem pressure

At **Round End**, before the Stress clamp that arms DARVO:

- If **any** Problem still in play is **unclaimed** (face-up unsolved, hidden, or Denied), **each player +1 Stress**.
- Then clamp 0–5, arm DARVO at 5 as in baseline, rotate Lead, advance Round.

### H1-B — High-stress ATTACK self-soothe

When an Attack resolves and is **not cancelled**, if the attacker’s Stress was **≥ 4 before that Attack’s effects**, the attacker takes **−1 Stress** (then clamp). Target and relation effects unchanged.

## Table play

Use baseline components for everything except:

1. Read End step and Stress/Attack wording from this package’s `Rules_Text.csv` / `Actions.csv` (or this file).
2. Do not mix with baseline r0 wording mid-game.

## Simulation (clay-borg)

1. Select `variant_id: h1-problem-stress` via catalog.
2. Inherit base edition data for Problems/Solutions/Modes/Tokens.
3. Implement `rules_delta.yaml` in the kernel (H1-A, H1-B). CSV text is provenance for the table, not a substitute for kernel changes.

## Decision criteria

See design note §3.2. Catalog `utility_estimate` / `decision` update only after measurement — not when packaging.