Within-mover references (the only comparison that isolates the knob): tfil_lag1
-0.04 wins/run, strafe_lag1 +0.18 wins/run, both far under the reported MDEs
(0.33 / 0.41) -> NOT distinguishable, so TR_FIRE_LAG stays default 0. Incoming
hit rate also unmoved (+0.94 / +0.33 pp). The one significant result is the
mover (strafe_lag1 vs tfil_off +0.38 wins/run p=0.0386, hit rate -4.67pp
p=0.0074), which is the known strafe-over-tfil gap and exactly why the
within-mover reference was pre-registered.
Also a cosmetic no-op refactor of the two spawn sites (compute velX/velY once;
bit-identical, and it keeps the default-parity claim exact).
MEASURED LIVE (common_libs/tests/measure_fire_ghost_lag.py, 4 sessions, 1777
matched ghost spawns, both movers): the server dispatches a turn's fire AFTER
our go() for that same turn, so a turn-T shot's energy drop first reaches our
scan at turn T+1 — and a bullet takes its FIRST step during the turn it is
fired, so the true bullet is already one whole bullet step (11-20 px) downrange.
Both movers place the ghost at the SCANNED enemy position (where the bullet was
born), so the whole ghost trajectory is the true one shifted one turn later and
the arrival deadline is a full tick late.
MEASURED: detection lag +1 tick on 100% of 1777 matched spawns; ghost-vs-
observer displacement 19.06 px mean / 22.00 p90 (tfil) and 16.08 / 21.81
(strafe); arrival-deadline error 0.99 / 0.77 ticks. NOT a rendering artefact:
the draw/advance order is correct (advanceBullets -> detectFires -> build).
THE FIX: TR_FIRE_LAG (int, default 0 = today byte-for-byte) in the shared
fire_tracker, applied by both movers at spawn: x = origin + dir*speed*lag.
The deadline needs no separate change — both movers derive it from the ghost's
own position, so a correct position gives a correct deadline.
WITH IT: displacement 19.06 -> 5.37 px mean (the residue is the enemy's own
<=8 px scan staleness) and the deadline error 0.99 -> 0.06 ticks.
Guards: test_tfil_commit_env 77 -> 87 checks (default golden parity, exact
n-step back-date, deadline shortens by exactly lag, junk/negative degrade to 0,
reaped exactly one tick earlier); test_env_report + test_env_dotenv green.
TR_FIRE_LAG registered in env_report + knownEnvNames + .env.example +
docs/env_reference.md. Live A/B pre-registered in docs/movement_campaign.md
(Batch 8) with its MDE stated up front; arms tools/ab/arms_fire_lag.txt.
TR_FIRE_DIAG gains a per-round ROUND line (the tick->getTurn anchor) and a
per-spawn SPAWN line (the ghost's drawn position).