diff --git a/web/src/components/BattlePhase.tsx b/web/src/components/BattlePhase.tsx
index 31271f8..6da84f9 100644
--- a/web/src/components/BattlePhase.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/BattlePhase.tsx
@@ -180,12 +180,25 @@ export function BattlePhase({ view, send }: Props) {
   const done = step >= events.length
   const lastEvent = step > 0 ? events[step - 1] : null
 
+  // paused freezes auto-advance so the player can walk the log manually.
+  const [paused, setPaused] = useState(false)
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (done) return
+    if (done || paused) return
     const delay = EVENT_MS[events[step].type] ?? 1000
     const t = window.setTimeout(() => setStep((s) => s + 1), delay)
     return () => window.clearTimeout(t)
-  }, [step, done, events])
+  }, [step, done, paused, events])
+
+  // Manual controls. Stepping by hand pauses playback so it doesn't fight you.
+  const stepTo = (n: number) => {
+    setPaused(true)
+    setStep(Math.max(0, Math.min(events.length, n)))
+  }
+  const restart = () => {
+    setPaused(false)
+    setStep(0)
+  }
 
   const sides = useMemo(
     () => replay(events, battle.stackSizes, step),
@@ -318,11 +331,43 @@ export function BattlePhase({ view, send }: Props) {
     <div className="battle">
       <div className="battle-header">
         <h2>Battle! Round {battle.round}</h2>
-        {!done && (
-          <button className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" onClick={() => setStep(events.length)}>
-            Skip ⏭
+        <div className="battle-controls">
+          <button className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" onClick={restart} title="Replay from the start">
+            ⏮
           </button>
-        )}
+          <button
+            className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm"
+            onClick={() => stepTo(step - 1)}
+            disabled={step === 0}
+            title="Previous step"
+          >
+            ◀
+          </button>
+          <button
+            className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm"
+            onClick={() => setPaused((p) => !p)}
+            disabled={done}
+            title={paused ? 'Play' : 'Pause'}
+          >
+            {paused ? '▶' : '⏸'}
+          </button>
+          <button
+            className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm"
+            onClick={() => stepTo(step + 1)}
+            disabled={done}
+            title="Next step"
+          >
+            ▶
+          </button>
+          <span className="battle-step">
+            {Math.min(step, events.length)} / {events.length}
+          </span>
+          {!done && (
+            <button className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" onClick={() => setStep(events.length)}>
+              Skip ⏭
+            </button>
+          )}
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       <div className="battle-names">
diff --git a/web/src/styles.css b/web/src/styles.css
index 008e175..2bf0b76 100644
--- a/web/src/styles.css
+++ b/web/src/styles.css
@@ -726,6 +726,21 @@ h3 {
   justify-content: center;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 14px;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+
+.battle-controls {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 6px;
+}
+
+.battle-step {
+  font-family: var(--font-display);
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  color: rgba(253, 243, 220, 0.7);
+  min-width: 3.5em;
+  text-align: center;
 }
 
 .battle-names {