diff --git a/src/game-v4.js b/src/game-v4.js
index 91a2124..bbd8b4c 100644
--- a/src/game-v4.js
+++ b/src/game-v4.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.player.setDepth(6).setCollideWorldBounds(true).setDisplaySize(66, 126);
     this.player.body.setAllowGravity(false);
     this.player.body.setCircle(44, 20, 84);
-    this.player.play('player-idle');
+    this.player.setFrame(0);
 
     this.pirates = this.physics.add.group();
     this.playerShots = this.physics.add.group();
@@ -255,11 +255,11 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
   }
 
   createAnimations() {
-    if (!this.anims.exists('player-idle')) {
+    if (!this.anims.exists('player-forward')) {
       this.anims.create({
-        key: 'player-idle',
+        key: 'player-forward',
         frames: this.anims.generateFrameNumbers('player-airship', { start: 0, end: 3 }),
-        frameRate: 5,
+        frameRate: 6,
         repeat: -1,
       });
     }
@@ -449,6 +449,18 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
 
     this.player.angle += PLAYER_TURN_RATE * turnStrength * directionSign * turnInput * dt;
 
+    const forwardThrust = clamp(this.playerSpeed / PLAYER_MAX_SPEED, 0, 1);
+    if (forwardThrust > 0.06) {
+      if (!this.player.anims.isPlaying || this.player.anims.currentAnim?.key !== 'player-forward') {
+        this.player.play('player-forward');
+      }
+      this.player.anims.timeScale = 0.65 + forwardThrust * 1.35;
+    } else {
+      if (this.player.anims.isPlaying) this.player.anims.stop();
+      this.player.setFrame(0);
+      this.player.anims.timeScale = 1;
+    }
+
     const h = headingRad(this.player);
     this.player.setVelocity(Math.cos(h) * this.playerSpeed, Math.sin(h) * this.playerSpeed);
 
diff --git a/tests/wiring.test.mjs b/tests/wiring.test.mjs
index d744a77..2299bda 100644
--- a/tests/wiring.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/wiring.test.mjs
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ test('player and pirate broadsides use the cannonball image asset', async () =>
   assert.doesNotMatch(source, /generateTexture\('pirate-shot'/);
 });
 
-test('player uses the four-frame north-facing airship sheet with a compact circular body', async () => {
+test('player uses the four-frame north-facing sheet as a forward propulsion animation', async () => {
   const source = await read('src/game-v4.js');
 
   assert.match(source, /import playerAirshipUrl from '.\/assets\/player-airship-4frame\.png\?url'/);
@@ -202,8 +202,12 @@ test('player uses the four-frame north-facing airship sheet with a compact circu
   assert.match(source, /this\.physics\.add\.sprite\(1200, 1550, 'player-airship', 0\)/);
   assert.match(source, /setDisplaySize\(66, 126\)/);
   assert.match(source, /this\.player\.body\.setCircle\(44, 20, 84\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /key: 'player-forward'/);
   assert.match(source, /generateFrameNumbers\('player-airship', \{ start: 0, end: 3 \}\)/);
-  assert.doesNotMatch(source, /this\.player\.body\.setSize\(42, 56, true\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /const forwardThrust = clamp\(this\.playerSpeed \/ PLAYER_MAX_SPEED, 0, 1\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /this\.player\.anims\.timeScale = 0\.65 \+ forwardThrust \* 1\.35/);
+  assert.match(source, /this\.player\.setFrame\(0\)/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(source, /key: 'player-idle'/);
 });
 
 test('mobile HUD skips hidden Phaser rendering and throttles DOM state publishing', async () => {