cap terminal reward scale (bounded score bonus) and restore single-battle campaigns

computeRoundReward used cumulative totalScore/50 — unbounded in long battles
(vLoss 353 at round 3160 → 25745 by 3871 in the 5841-round attempt). Cap the
score term at 400 before /50: bonus ∈ [0,8], so the critic's value scale stays
stable regardless of battle length and across battle boundaries.

Reverts the 60-round battle chunking (186e005/da2f825): one battle per
campaign for the whole remaining budget; keeps the crash-restart loop, the
mid-battle freeze guard and the end-of-battle counter completeness check.

Cert (5211, single 60-round battle): 59/60 wins (sole loss = cold-start round
1, score 61), vLoss avg 36.1 / max 148.5, gNorm max 596, zero NaN, zero
restarts, counter check passed. Weights persist to round 5211.

PPO_Bot/tests/test_training.nim

@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ block testTickReward:
 block testRoundReward:
   let r = computeRoundReward(350.0'f32)
   check abs(r - 7.0'f32) < 1e-6'f32, "computeRoundReward(350) == 7.0, got " & $r
+  # bounded: long-battle cumulative scores must saturate, not blow the value scale
+  check abs(computeRoundReward(89299.0'f32) - 8.0'f32) < 1e-6'f32,
+    "computeRoundReward(89299) == 8.0 (capped), got " & $computeRoundReward(89299.0'f32)
 
 # ── TrajectoryBuffer ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 

PPO_Bot/training.nim

@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ proc computeTickReward*(myEnergyDelta, enemyEnergyDelta: float32;
 
 proc computeRoundReward*(roundScore: float32): float32 =
   ## Normalise round-end score to a rough ±6 range (doubled win signal).
-  result = roundScore / 50.0'f32
+  ## ponytail: cap cumulative score at 400 before /50 — bounded terminal bonus
+  ## keeps critic value scale stable across battle boundaries and long battles.
+  result = min(roundScore, 400.0'f32) / 50.0'f32
 
 # ── GAE ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 

PPO_Bot/weights/latest/adam_t.txt

@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
-134308
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200
+200200

PPO_Bot/weights/round_counter.txt

@@ -1 +1 @@
-3159
+5211

tools/training_runner/run.sh

@@ -79,13 +79,11 @@ while true; do
     sleep 2
   fi
 
-  # ponytail: cap each battle at 60 rounds — matches the certified config.
-  # Round-end reward is cumulative totalScore/50; long battles grow it unboundedly
-  # and blow up the critic's value scale (seen at round 3160, vLoss 25745 by 3871).
-  # Short battles bound the reward, and fresh-process restarts clear thread state.
-  battle_rounds=$(( remaining > 60 ? 60 : remaining ))
-  echo ">>> Running $battle_rounds rounds (opponent: $OPPONENT)..."
-  java -cp ".:$JAR" RunTraining "$OPPONENT" "$battle_rounds" || {
+  # One battle for the whole remaining budget: round-end reward is a bounded
+  # terminal bonus (computeRoundReward caps totalScore at 400), so long battles
+  # keep the critic's value scale stable — no per-battle chunking needed.
+  echo ">>> Running $remaining rounds (opponent: $OPPONENT)..."
+  java -cp ".:$JAR" RunTraining "$OPPONENT" "$remaining" || {
     exit_code=$?
     echo ">>> Java runner exited with code $exit_code — checking if done..."
     remaining=$(remaining_rounds)