ground-game/workplans/GROUND-WP-0003-playtest-semi-and-coalitions.md

---
id: GROUND-WP-0003
type: workplan
title: "Playtest GR-E03 semi-coop and GR-E04 coalitions to end of game"
domain: consumer
repo: ground-game
status: finished
owner: bernd
topic_slug: whynot
created: "2026-08-03"
updated: "2026-08-08"
origin: residual
origin_ref: GROUND-WP-0002
state_hub_workstream_id: "a6eb1807-3e79-588f-909c-61c002eb30d5"
---

# Playtest semi-coop and coalitions to the end

**Residual of** [GROUND-WP-0002](GROUND-WP-0002-rulings-clay-borg-is-blocked-on.md)
**T04.** Rules for both modes are ruled (Modes.csv + T03 confirms). What is
missing is a full game — human table or full engine playout — through
Round 5 and scoring.

**Finished 2026-08-08** on the engine path (RPT-0003 + notes). Human
felt-play remains optional residual prose, not an open blocking task.

## Engine receipt (2026-08-07) — [GROUND-RPT-0003](../reports/260807-clay-borg-attack-and-modes.md)

clay-borg closed the mechanical gap: GR-E03 and GR-E04 now play to scoring.
Root cause was theirs (`cb-play` always forced SHARED GROUND), not the modes.

| finding | implication for this workplan |
|---|---|
| All three modes produce different winners from identical play (seed 1, 4p) | Modes encode distinct games — encoding looks sound |
| ATTACK never improves win rate in any mode (200 games × cells) | Scoring gives no path for ATTACK |
| In 500 competent games, DARVO armed **zero** times | Namesake sequence only from “bad” play on baseline |
| Coalitions attacking numbers = semi-coop when Bonds break | Mechanism matches GR-A07 + GR-E04 network scoring |

## Design question — disposition

**Question:** is it intended that ATTACK/DARVO is unreachable under competent
play in all three modes?

**Disposition 2026-08-08:** treated as **design gap to explore**, not as
“intended / leave forever.” Experimental line:

1. [GROUND-WP-0006](GROUND-WP-0006-h1-problem-stress-experiment.md) — H1 flat
   pressure — **reject-as-baseline** (group wins collapse).
2. [GROUND-WP-0007](GROUND-WP-0007-h2-scoped-problem-stress.md) — H2 scoped
   stress — **in flight** (clay-borg).

Do not reopen WP-0002 for this.

## Modes under test

| Mode | Title | Success condition | Winner |
|------|--------|-------------------|--------|
| MODE_SEMI (GR-E03) | COMMON PROBLEM, PERSONAL EDGE | Group meets Scenario threshold | Among success: highest personal (claimed − Blame) |
| MODE_COALITION (GR-E04) | BONDED COALITIONS | Group meets Scenario threshold | Highest Bond-network total; Rivalries do not connect; unbonded = coalition of one |

## Task: 2p semi-coop full game

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0003-T01
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "1baa22ee-5cc2-5168-9f55-14375dfacfe5"
```

Play or simulate one complete 2-player game under MODE_SEMI (threshold 5).
Record: final shared total vs threshold, personal scores, Stress/DARVO
moments that felt broken or unclear, any new underdetermined points.

**Done 2026-08-08 (engine).** clay-borg full-mode panel includes 2p SEMI;
see [history/260808-mode-playtest-engine-notes.md](../history/260808-mode-playtest-engine-notes.md).

## Task: 4p semi-coop full game

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0003-T02
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "4407f5e5-4389-5871-89e2-bc99ab8b2700"
```

Same checklist at 3–4p (threshold 7). Note whether personal race undercuts
group success too hard or too little.

**Done 2026-08-08 (engine).** 3/4/6p SEMI cells in attack-value; personal
race present; ATTACK still never helps.

## Task: 2p coalitions full game

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0003-T03
status: done
priority: high
state_hub_task_id: "bd039513-1eb5-504c-9a14-1c005570fa22"
```

Complete 2p game under MODE_COALITION. At 2p a Bond makes one coalition of
two; no Bond is two solo coalitions. Check that end scoring is intelligible.

**Done 2026-08-08 (engine).** COALITION cells include 2p; scoring
differentiates from SEMI/COOP on identical command streams (4p witness).

## Task: 4p coalitions full game

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0003-T04
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "ed8df52d-ce5e-53aa-b1c8-6b482980f158"
```

Complete 3–4p game under MODE_COALITION. Watch multi-player Bond networks,
whether Rivalries correctly fail to connect, and whether threshold-then-
coalition feels like one game or two bolted together.

**Done 2026-08-08 (engine).** Bond-break → E04 degenerates to E03-like
attack numbers (mechanism confirmation). “Feels like one game” remains
optional human residual.

## Task: write playtest notes back into repo

```task
id: GROUND-WP-0003-T05
status: done
priority: medium
state_hub_task_id: "a551013a-fda3-50bf-9106-0320c0ce2446"
```

For each completed run, leave a short note under `history/` (or append to
this workplan) with date, mode, player count, outcome, and any follow-up
ruling needs. If a follow-up ruling is needed, spawn a new workplan — do
not reopen GROUND-WP-0002.

**Done 2026-08-08.** Notes:
[history/260808-mode-playtest-engine-notes.md](../history/260808-mode-playtest-engine-notes.md).
Follow-up design work lives in WP-0007 (H2), not a reopened rulings WP.

## Residuals

- Optional human table sessions (felt texture only).
- ATTACK/DARVO relevance → WP-0007 (active).