diff --git a/src/game-v4.js b/src/game-v4.js
index bbd8b4c..8a979c6 100644
--- a/src/game-v4.js
+++ b/src/game-v4.js
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ const SHOT_LIFETIME = 900;
 const PIRATE_FALLBACK_MAX_HULL = 120;
 const MAX_PIRATES = 6;
 const HUD_PUBLISH_INTERVAL_MS = 50;
+const PLAYER_SMOKE_REAR_OFFSET = 48;
+const PLAYER_SMOKE_ENGINE_OFFSET = 17;
 const AUTO_RESET_MS = 2200;
 
 const clamp = (v, min, max) => Math.max(min, Math.min(max, v));
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.helmVector = { x: 0, y: 0 };
     this.pendingPlayerHits = [];
     this.playerHitSequence = 0;
+    this.playerSmokeAccumulatorMs = 0;
     this.lastDiagnosticsAt = -Infinity;
     this.lastHudPublishAt = -Infinity;
     this.wave = 1;
@@ -99,6 +102,7 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.player.body.setAllowGravity(false);
     this.player.body.setCircle(44, 20, 84);
     this.player.setFrame(0);
+    this.createPlayerSmoke();
 
     this.pirates = this.physics.add.group();
     this.playerShots = this.physics.add.group();
@@ -170,6 +174,71 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.spawnWave();
   }
 
+
+  createPlayerSmoke() {
+    if (!this.textures.exists('player-smoke')) {
+      const smokeTexture = this.make.graphics({ x: 0, y: 0, add: false });
+      smokeTexture.fillStyle(0xe3ecee, 0.18);
+      smokeTexture.fillCircle(8, 8, 7);
+      smokeTexture.fillStyle(0xf4f7f7, 0.28);
+      smokeTexture.fillCircle(7, 7, 4.5);
+      smokeTexture.generateTexture('player-smoke', 16, 16);
+      smokeTexture.destroy();
+    }
+
+    this.playerSmoke = this.add.particles(this.player.x, this.player.y, 'player-smoke', {
+      lifespan: { min: 520, max: 920 },
+      scale: { start: 0.34, end: 1.15 },
+      alpha: { start: 0.24, end: 0 },
+      rotate: { min: 0, max: 360 },
+      frequency: -1,
+      quantity: 1,
+    });
+    this.playerSmoke.setDepth(5);
+  }
+
+  updatePlayerSmoke(deltaMs) {
+    if (!this.playerSmoke || !this.player?.active || !this.player.visible) return;
+
+    const forwardThrust = clamp(this.playerSpeed / PLAYER_MAX_SPEED, 0, 1);
+    if (this.gameState !== 'playing' || forwardThrust <= 0.04) {
+      this.playerSmokeAccumulatorMs = 0;
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const heading = headingRad(this.player);
+    const forwardX = Math.cos(heading);
+    const forwardY = Math.sin(heading);
+    const sideX = -forwardY;
+    const sideY = forwardX;
+
+    const sternX = this.player.x - forwardX * PLAYER_SMOKE_REAR_OFFSET;
+    const sternY = this.player.y - forwardY * PLAYER_SMOKE_REAR_OFFSET;
+    this.playerSmoke.setPosition(sternX, sternY);
+
+    const emissionIntervalMs = Phaser.Math.Linear(175, 58, forwardThrust);
+    this.playerSmokeAccumulatorMs += deltaMs;
+
+    while (this.playerSmokeAccumulatorMs >= emissionIntervalMs) {
+      const spread = Phaser.Math.FloatBetween(-0.16, 0.16);
+      const trailHeading = heading + Math.PI + spread;
+      const trailSpeed = Phaser.Math.Linear(16, 46, forwardThrust) * Phaser.Math.FloatBetween(0.82, 1.16);
+      this.playerSmoke.setParticleSpeed(
+        Math.cos(trailHeading) * trailSpeed,
+        Math.sin(trailHeading) * trailSpeed,
+      );
+
+      for (const engineSide of [-1, 1]) {
+        const jitter = Phaser.Math.FloatBetween(-1.5, 1.5);
+        const engineX = sternX + sideX * (PLAYER_SMOKE_ENGINE_OFFSET * engineSide + jitter);
+        const engineY = sternY + sideY * (PLAYER_SMOKE_ENGINE_OFFSET * engineSide + jitter);
+        this.playerSmoke.emitParticleAt(engineX, engineY, 1);
+      }
+
+      this.playerSmokeAccumulatorMs -= emissionIntervalMs;
+    }
+  }
+
   createHud() {
     this.mobileHudActive = !window.matchMedia('(hover: hover) and (pointer: fine)').matches;
 
@@ -401,6 +470,7 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
 
     this.updatePlayer(dt, deltaMs);
+    this.updatePlayerSmoke(deltaMs);
     this.updatePirates(dt);
     this.updateProjectiles();
     this.drawWeaponArcs();
@@ -927,6 +997,7 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }, 'warn');
 
     this.gameState = 'lost';
+    this.playerSmokeAccumulatorMs = 0;
     this.player.setVelocity(0, 0);
     this.playerShots.clear(true, true);
     this.pirateShots.clear(true, true);
diff --git a/tests/wiring.test.mjs b/tests/wiring.test.mjs
index 2299bda..9327dab 100644
--- a/tests/wiring.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/wiring.test.mjs
@@ -210,6 +210,23 @@ test('player uses the four-frame north-facing sheet as a forward propulsion anim
   assert.doesNotMatch(source, /key: 'player-idle'/);
 });
 
+test('player propulsion smoke is a separate world-space Phaser particle effect', async () => {
+  const source = await read('src/game-v4.js');
+
+  assert.match(source, /this\.createPlayerSmoke\(\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /this\.add\.particles\(this\.player\.x, this\.player\.y, 'player-smoke'/);
+  assert.match(source, /frequency: -1/);
+  assert.match(source, /this\.updatePlayerSmoke\(deltaMs\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /const forwardThrust = clamp\(this\.playerSpeed \/ PLAYER_MAX_SPEED, 0, 1\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /if \(this\.gameState !== 'playing' \|\| forwardThrust <= 0\.04\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /const sternX = this\.player\.x - forwardX \* PLAYER_SMOKE_REAR_OFFSET/);
+  assert.match(source, /const sternY = this\.player\.y - forwardY \* PLAYER_SMOKE_REAR_OFFSET/);
+  assert.match(source, /PLAYER_SMOKE_ENGINE_OFFSET \* engineSide/);
+  assert.match(source, /this\.playerSmoke\.setParticleSpeed\(/);
+  assert.match(source, /this\.playerSmoke\.emitParticleAt\(engineX, engineY, 1\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /Phaser\.Math\.Linear\(175, 58, forwardThrust\)/);
+});
+
 test('mobile HUD skips hidden Phaser rendering and throttles DOM state publishing', async () => {
   const source = await read('src/game-v4.js');