diff --git a/src/client/controllers/AttackingTroopsController.ts b/src/client/controllers/AttackingTroopsController.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f105368c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/client/controllers/AttackingTroopsController.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,261 @@
+/**
+ * AttackingTroopsController — pushes attack troop labels to the WebGL
+ * WorldTextPass. Replaces the DOM-based AttackingTroopsOverlay.
+ *
+ * Per-tick (200ms) it polls the worker for clustered front-line positions of
+ * each active attack involving the local player. Between polls it interpolates
+ * smoothly from the previously-rendered position to the new target — the
+ * worker poll cadence (200ms) and the animation duration (250ms) are matched
+ * to what the old CSS transition did.
+ */
+import { EventBus } from "../../core/EventBus";
+import { Cell, PlayerType } from "../../core/game/Game";
+import { GameView } from "../../core/game/GameView";
+import { UserSettings } from "../../core/game/UserSettings";
+import { Controller } from "../Controller";
+import { AlternateViewEvent } from "../InputHandler";
+import { GameView as WebGLGameView } from "../render/gl";
+import type { AttackTroopLabel } from "../render/gl/passes/WorldTextPass";
+import { renderTroops } from "../Utils";
+
+// Aquarius (#3fa9f5) for outgoing, red-400 (#f87171) for incoming.
+const OUTGOING_R = 0x3f / 255;
+const OUTGOING_G = 0xa9 / 255;
+const OUTGOING_B = 0xf5 / 255;
+const INCOMING_R = 0xf8 / 255;
+const INCOMING_G = 0x71 / 255;
+const INCOMING_B = 0x71 / 255;
+
+/** Animation duration for cluster shifts — matches old CSS transition. */
+const ANIM_MS = 250;
+/** Snap (no animation) when the worker reports a jump larger than this. */
+const SNAP_DISTANCE = 200;
+
+export interface Slot {
+  /** Last-rendered (interpolated) position. */
+  curX: number;
+  curY: number;
+  /** Animation start position. */
+  srcX: number;
+  srcY: number;
+  /** Animation target position. */
+  dstX: number;
+  dstY: number;
+  /** Animation start time (performance.now). */
+  startMs: number;
+}
+
+interface AttackEntry {
+  text: string;
+  isIncoming: boolean;
+  slots: Slot[];
+}
+
+export function alignClusterOrder(next: Cell[], prev: Slot[]): void {
+  if (next.length !== 2 || prev.length !== 2) return;
+  const dist = (a: number, b: number, c: Cell) =>
+    Math.abs(c.x - a) + Math.abs(c.y - b);
+  const direct =
+    dist(prev[0].dstX, prev[0].dstY, next[0]) +
+    dist(prev[1].dstX, prev[1].dstY, next[1]);
+  const swapped =
+    dist(prev[0].dstX, prev[0].dstY, next[1]) +
+    dist(prev[1].dstX, prev[1].dstY, next[0]);
+  if (swapped < direct) [next[0], next[1]] = [next[1], next[0]];
+}
+
+export class AttackingTroopsController implements Controller {
+  private attacks = new Map<string, AttackEntry>();
+  private inFlightRequest = false;
+  private alternateView = false;
+  /** Reused buffer pushed to the view each frame. */
+  private labelBuf: AttackTroopLabel[] = [];
+
+  constructor(
+    private readonly game: GameView,
+    private readonly eventBus: EventBus,
+    private readonly userSettings: UserSettings,
+    private readonly view: WebGLGameView,
+  ) {}
+
+  init() {
+    this.eventBus.on(AlternateViewEvent, (e) => {
+      this.alternateView = e.alternateView;
+    });
+
+    const drive = () => {
+      this.pushLabels();
+      requestAnimationFrame(drive);
+    };
+    requestAnimationFrame(drive);
+  }
+
+  getTickIntervalMs() {
+    return 200;
+  }
+
+  tick() {
+    if (!this.userSettings.attackingTroopsOverlay() || this.alternateView) {
+      if (this.attacks.size > 0) this.attacks.clear();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const myPlayer = this.game.myPlayer();
+    if (!myPlayer) {
+      this.attacks.clear();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const activeIDs = new Set<string>();
+
+    // Outgoing: only label attacks targeting another player.
+    for (const attack of myPlayer.outgoingAttacks()) {
+      if (!attack.targetID) continue;
+      const defender = this.game.playerBySmallID(attack.targetID);
+      if (!defender || !defender.isPlayer()) continue;
+      activeIDs.add(attack.id);
+      this.ensureEntry(attack.id, attack.troops, false);
+    }
+
+    // Incoming: only label attacks coming from another player; skip tribes.
+    for (const attack of myPlayer.incomingAttacks()) {
+      const attacker = this.game.playerBySmallID(attack.attackerID);
+      if (
+        !attacker ||
+        !attacker.isPlayer() ||
+        attacker.type() === PlayerType.Bot
+      ) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      activeIDs.add(attack.id);
+      this.ensureEntry(attack.id, attack.troops, true);
+    }
+
+    for (const id of this.attacks.keys()) {
+      if (!activeIDs.has(id)) this.attacks.delete(id);
+    }
+
+    // Single worker request per tick; skip if the previous one is still in flight.
+    if (this.inFlightRequest) return;
+    this.inFlightRequest = true;
+
+    void myPlayer
+      .attackClusteredPositions()
+      .then((attacks) => {
+        const now = performance.now();
+        for (const { id, positions } of attacks) {
+          const entry = this.attacks.get(id);
+          if (!entry) continue;
+          this.reconcileSlots(entry, positions, now);
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        // On error, hide all labels until the next successful response.
+        this.attacks.clear();
+      })
+      .finally(() => {
+        this.inFlightRequest = false;
+      });
+  }
+
+  private ensureEntry(attackID: string, troops: number, isIncoming: boolean) {
+    const text = renderTroops(troops);
+    const existing = this.attacks.get(attackID);
+    if (existing) {
+      existing.text = text;
+      existing.isIncoming = isIncoming;
+      return;
+    }
+    this.attacks.set(attackID, { text, isIncoming, slots: [] });
+  }
+
+  private reconcileSlots(
+    entry: AttackEntry,
+    positions: Cell[],
+    now: number,
+  ): void {
+    alignClusterOrder(positions, entry.slots);
+
+    // Trim extra slots.
+    if (entry.slots.length > positions.length) {
+      entry.slots.length = positions.length;
+    }
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < positions.length; i++) {
+      const next = positions[i];
+      const slot = entry.slots[i];
+      if (!slot) {
+        // New slot — snap to position (no animation).
+        entry.slots.push({
+          curX: next.x,
+          curY: next.y,
+          srcX: next.x,
+          srcY: next.y,
+          dstX: next.x,
+          dstY: next.y,
+          startMs: now,
+        });
+        continue;
+      }
+      // Compute the current (interpolated) position so animations chain from
+      // wherever the label is right now, not from the previous target.
+      const t = Math.min(1, (now - slot.startMs) / ANIM_MS);
+      const curX = slot.srcX + (slot.dstX - slot.srcX) * t;
+      const curY = slot.srcY + (slot.dstY - slot.srcY) * t;
+
+      const jump = Math.hypot(next.x - curX, next.y - curY);
+      if (jump > SNAP_DISTANCE) {
+        slot.curX = next.x;
+        slot.curY = next.y;
+        slot.srcX = next.x;
+        slot.srcY = next.y;
+        slot.dstX = next.x;
+        slot.dstY = next.y;
+        slot.startMs = now;
+      } else {
+        slot.srcX = curX;
+        slot.srcY = curY;
+        slot.curX = curX;
+        slot.curY = curY;
+        slot.dstX = next.x;
+        slot.dstY = next.y;
+        slot.startMs = now;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private pushLabels(): void {
+    if (this.alternateView || this.attacks.size === 0) {
+      if (this.labelBuf.length > 0) {
+        this.labelBuf = [];
+        this.view.setAttackTroopLabels(this.labelBuf);
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const now = performance.now();
+    const out: AttackTroopLabel[] = [];
+
+    for (const entry of this.attacks.values()) {
+      const r = entry.isIncoming ? INCOMING_R : OUTGOING_R;
+      const g = entry.isIncoming ? INCOMING_G : OUTGOING_G;
+      const b = entry.isIncoming ? INCOMING_B : OUTGOING_B;
+      for (const slot of entry.slots) {
+        const t = Math.min(1, (now - slot.startMs) / ANIM_MS);
+        slot.curX = slot.srcX + (slot.dstX - slot.srcX) * t;
+        slot.curY = slot.srcY + (slot.dstY - slot.srcY) * t;
+        out.push({
+          x: slot.curX,
+          y: slot.curY,
+          text: entry.text,
+          colorR: r,
+          colorG: g,
+          colorB: b,
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    this.labelBuf = out;
+    this.view.setAttackTroopLabels(out);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/client/hud/GameRenderer.ts b/src/client/hud/GameRenderer.ts
index aa5bf7e87..eb9cb3944 100644
--- a/src/client/hud/GameRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/hud/GameRenderer.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Controller } from "../Controller";
 import { GameStartingModal } from "../GameStartingModal";
 import { TransformHandler } from "../TransformHandler";
 import { UIState } from "../UIState";
+import { AttackingTroopsController } from "../controllers/AttackingTroopsController";
 import { BuildPreviewController } from "../controllers/BuildPreviewController";
 import { HoverHighlightController } from "../controllers/HoverHighlightController";
 import { StructureHighlightController } from "../controllers/StructureHighlightController";
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ import { GameView as WebGLGameView } from "../render/gl";
 import { FrameProfiler } from "./FrameProfiler";
 import { ActionableEvents } from "./layers/ActionableEvents";
 import { AlertFrame } from "./layers/AlertFrame";
-import { AttackingTroopsOverlay } from "./layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay";
 import { AttacksDisplay } from "./layers/AttacksDisplay";
 import { BuildMenu } from "./layers/BuildMenu";
 import { ChatDisplay } from "./layers/ChatDisplay";
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ export function createRenderer(
     new HoverHighlightController(game, eventBus, transformHandler, view),
     new StructureHighlightController(eventBus, view),
     new ViewModeController(eventBus, view),
-    new AttackingTroopsOverlay(game, transformHandler, eventBus, userSettings),
+    new AttackingTroopsController(game, eventBus, userSettings, view),
     eventsDisplay,
     actionableEvents,
     attacksDisplay,
diff --git a/src/client/hud/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.ts b/src/client/hud/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index bcc434201..000000000
--- a/src/client/hud/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,338 +0,0 @@
-import { EventBus } from "../../../core/EventBus";
-import { Cell, PlayerType } from "../../../core/game/Game";
-import { GameView } from "../../../core/game/GameView";
-import { UserSettings } from "../../../core/game/UserSettings";
-import { Controller } from "../../Controller";
-import { AlternateViewEvent } from "../../InputHandler";
-import { TransformHandler } from "../../TransformHandler";
-import { renderTroops } from "../../Utils";
-
-// Match AttacksDisplay: aquarius for outgoing, red-400 for incoming.
-const OUTGOING_COLOR = "var(--color-aquarius)";
-const INCOMING_COLOR = "var(--color-red-400)";
-
-// At/above this zoom the label is rendered at full size; below it shrinks
-// linearly toward LABEL_MIN_RENDERED_SIZE as zoom→0.
-const LABEL_FULL_SIZE_ZOOM = 4.0;
-const LABEL_MIN_RENDERED_SIZE = 0.63;
-// Overall size multiplier applied to the rendered label.
-const LABEL_SIZE_MULTIPLIER = 1.0;
-
-// Counter-scale against the container's `scale(zoom)`. At/above
-// LABEL_FULL_SIZE_ZOOM the rendered size is capped at LABEL_SIZE_MULTIPLIER;
-// below it the rendered size shrinks linearly toward
-// LABEL_SIZE_MULTIPLIER * LABEL_MIN_RENDERED_SIZE as zoom→0.
-export function computeLabelScale(zoom: number): number {
-  const t = Math.min(1, zoom / LABEL_FULL_SIZE_ZOOM);
-  const renderedSize =
-    LABEL_SIZE_MULTIPLIER *
-    (LABEL_MIN_RENDERED_SIZE + (1 - LABEL_MIN_RENDERED_SIZE) * t);
-  return renderedSize / zoom;
-}
-
-// Worker returns clusters sorted by size; two near-equal-size fronts can flip
-// ordering tick-to-tick. If swapping brings each new position closer to where
-// its label already is, swap `next` in place. (clusteredPositions caps at 2.)
-export function alignClusterOrder(next: Cell[], prev: (Cell | null)[]): void {
-  const [a, b] = prev;
-  if (next.length !== 2 || !a || !b) return;
-  const dist = (p: Cell, q: Cell) => Math.abs(p.x - q.x) + Math.abs(p.y - q.y);
-  const direct = dist(next[0], a) + dist(next[1], b);
-  const swapped = dist(next[1], a) + dist(next[0], b);
-  if (swapped < direct) [next[0], next[1]] = [next[1], next[0]];
-}
-
-// An attack can have multiple disconnected front-line segments, so elements
-// and positions are parallel arrays with one entry per segment.
-interface AttackLabel {
-  elements: HTMLDivElement[];
-  positions: (Cell | null)[];
-  isIncoming: boolean;
-  attackerTroops: number;
-}
-
-export class AttackingTroopsOverlay implements Controller {
-  private container: HTMLDivElement;
-  private labelTemplate: HTMLDivElement;
-  private labels = new Map<string, AttackLabel>();
-  // Guard against queuing multiple worker requests in the same tick window.
-  private inFlightRequest = false;
-  private isVisible = true;
-  private onAlternateView: (e: AlternateViewEvent) => void;
-  // Last transform string written per element; lets renderLayer skip identical
-  // re-assignments every frame (~60fps × N labels).
-  private lastTransform = new WeakMap<HTMLDivElement, string>();
-
-  constructor(
-    private readonly game: GameView,
-    private readonly transformHandler: TransformHandler,
-    private readonly eventBus: EventBus,
-    private readonly userSettings: UserSettings,
-  ) {}
-
-  init() {
-    this.container = document.createElement("div");
-    this.container.style.position = "fixed";
-    this.container.style.left = "50%";
-    this.container.style.top = "50%";
-    this.container.style.pointerEvents = "none";
-    // z-index 4 places labels above NameLayer (z-index 3).
-    this.container.style.zIndex = "4";
-    document.body.appendChild(this.container);
-
-    this.labelTemplate = this.createLabelTemplate();
-
-    this.onAlternateView = (e) => {
-      this.isVisible = !e.alternateView;
-      this.container.style.display = this.isVisible ? "" : "none";
-    };
-    this.eventBus.on(AlternateViewEvent, this.onAlternateView);
-
-    // Self-driven RAF: DOM label positions must update every frame so the
-    // labels track the WebGL camera as the user pans/zooms. (Previously this
-    // ran via the now-deleted canvas2D RAF loop.)
-    const drive = () => {
-      this.updateLabelDOM();
-      requestAnimationFrame(drive);
-    };
-    requestAnimationFrame(drive);
-  }
-
-  destroy() {
-    if (!this.container) return;
-    this.clearAllLabels();
-    this.container.remove();
-    this.eventBus.off(AlternateViewEvent, this.onAlternateView);
-  }
-
-  getTickIntervalMs() {
-    return 200;
-  }
-
-  private labelScale(): number {
-    return computeLabelScale(this.transformHandler.scale);
-  }
-
-  tick() {
-    if (!this.userSettings.attackingTroopsOverlay() || !this.isVisible) {
-      if (this.labels.size > 0) this.clearAllLabels();
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const myPlayer = this.game.myPlayer();
-    if (!myPlayer) {
-      this.clearAllLabels();
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const activeIDs = new Set<string>();
-
-    // Outgoing: only label attacks targeting another player.
-    for (const attack of myPlayer.outgoingAttacks()) {
-      activeIDs.add(attack.id);
-      if (!attack.targetID) {
-        this.removeLabel(attack.id);
-        continue;
-      }
-      const defender = this.game.playerBySmallID(attack.targetID);
-      if (!defender || !defender.isPlayer()) {
-        this.removeLabel(attack.id);
-        continue;
-      }
-      this.ensureLabel(attack.id, attack.troops, false);
-    }
-
-    // Incoming: only label attacks coming from another player; skip tribes.
-    for (const attack of myPlayer.incomingAttacks()) {
-      activeIDs.add(attack.id);
-      const attacker = this.game.playerBySmallID(attack.attackerID);
-      if (
-        !attacker ||
-        !attacker.isPlayer() ||
-        attacker.type() === PlayerType.Bot
-      ) {
-        this.removeLabel(attack.id);
-        continue;
-      }
-      this.ensureLabel(attack.id, attack.troops, true);
-    }
-
-    for (const [id] of this.labels) {
-      if (!activeIDs.has(id)) this.removeLabel(id);
-    }
-
-    // Single worker request per tick; skip if the previous one is still in flight.
-    if (this.inFlightRequest) return;
-    this.inFlightRequest = true;
-
-    void myPlayer
-      .attackClusteredPositions()
-      .then((attacks) => {
-        for (const { id, positions } of attacks) {
-          const lbl = this.labels.get(id);
-          if (!lbl) continue;
-          this.reconcileLabelPositions(lbl, positions);
-        }
-      })
-      .catch(() => {
-        // On error, hide all labels until the next successful response.
-        for (const lbl of this.labels.values()) lbl.positions.fill(null);
-      })
-      .finally(() => {
-        this.inFlightRequest = false;
-      });
-  }
-
-  private ensureLabel(
-    attackID: string,
-    attackerTroops: number,
-    isIncoming: boolean,
-  ) {
-    let label = this.labels.get(attackID);
-    if (!label) {
-      label = {
-        elements: [],
-        positions: [],
-        isIncoming,
-        attackerTroops,
-      };
-      this.labels.set(attackID, label);
-    } else {
-      label.attackerTroops = attackerTroops;
-    }
-    for (const el of label.elements) {
-      this.updateLabelContent(el, attackerTroops);
-    }
-  }
-
-  private updateLabelDOM() {
-    const screenPosOld = this.transformHandler.worldToScreenCoordinates(
-      new Cell(0, 0),
-    );
-    const screenPos = new Cell(
-      screenPosOld.x - window.innerWidth / 2,
-      screenPosOld.y - window.innerHeight / 2,
-    );
-    this.container.style.transform = `translate(${screenPos.x}px, ${screenPos.y}px) scale(${this.transformHandler.scale})`;
-
-    // Hoist the per-frame label scale once; zoom is constant within a frame.
-    const scale = this.labelScale();
-    const innerTransform = `scale(${scale})`;
-    for (const label of this.labels.values()) {
-      for (let i = 0; i < label.elements.length; i++) {
-        const el = label.elements[i];
-        const pos = label.positions[i];
-
-        if (!pos || !this.transformHandler.isOnScreen(pos)) {
-          el.style.display = "none";
-          continue;
-        }
-
-        el.style.display = "";
-        const inner = el.children[0] as HTMLDivElement;
-        // Outer: world position only — the 0.25s transition smooths cluster
-        // shifts. Inner: scale only — applied without transition so zoom is
-        // instant.
-        const outerTransform = `translate(${pos.x}px, ${pos.y}px) translate(-50%, -50%)`;
-        if (this.lastTransform.get(el) !== outerTransform) {
-          el.style.transform = outerTransform;
-          this.lastTransform.set(el, outerTransform);
-        }
-        inner.style.transform = innerTransform;
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  private reconcileLabelPositions(lbl: AttackLabel, positions: Cell[]) {
-    // Add elements for new clusters.
-    while (lbl.elements.length < positions.length) {
-      lbl.elements.push(
-        this.createLabelElement(lbl.attackerTroops, lbl.isIncoming),
-      );
-      lbl.positions.push(null);
-    }
-
-    // Remove elements for clusters that no longer exist.
-    while (lbl.elements.length > positions.length) {
-      lbl.elements.pop()!.remove();
-      lbl.positions.pop();
-    }
-
-    alignClusterOrder(positions, lbl.positions);
-
-    // Snap teleport-sized jumps instantly; let the CSS transition handle the rest.
-    for (let i = 0; i < positions.length; i++) {
-      const old = lbl.positions[i];
-      const next = positions[i];
-      if (old && Math.hypot(next.x - old.x, next.y - old.y) > 200) {
-        const el = lbl.elements[i];
-        el.style.transition = "none";
-        const outerTransform = `translate(${next.x}px, ${next.y}px) translate(-50%, -50%)`;
-        el.style.transform = outerTransform;
-        this.lastTransform.set(el, outerTransform);
-        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-          el.style.transition = "transform 0.25s linear";
-        });
-      }
-      lbl.positions[i] = next;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // Outer wraps position+transition (animates cluster moves). Inner holds the
-  // scale (instant on zoom) plus all visual chrome. Splitting them keeps the
-  // 0.25s transition off zoom changes.
-  private createLabelTemplate(): HTMLDivElement {
-    const outer = document.createElement("div");
-    outer.style.position = "absolute";
-    outer.style.display = "none";
-    outer.style.pointerEvents = "none";
-    outer.style.transition = "transform 0.25s linear";
-
-    const inner = document.createElement("div");
-    inner.style.whiteSpace = "nowrap";
-    inner.style.fontSize = "17px";
-    inner.style.fontWeight = "bold";
-    inner.style.lineHeight = "1.3";
-    inner.style.width = "max-content";
-    // No background — let the territory border show through. Stacked black
-    // text-shadows form a soft dark glow so the number stays readable over
-    // any terrain.
-    inner.style.textShadow =
-      "0 0 2px rgba(0,0,0,1), 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.85), 0 0 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.5)";
-    outer.appendChild(inner);
-
-    return outer;
-  }
-
-  private createLabelElement(
-    attackerTroops: number,
-    isIncoming: boolean,
-  ): HTMLDivElement {
-    const el = this.labelTemplate.cloneNode(true) as HTMLDivElement;
-    const inner = el.children[0] as HTMLDivElement;
-    inner.style.fontFamily = this.game.config().theme().font();
-    inner.style.color = isIncoming ? INCOMING_COLOR : OUTGOING_COLOR;
-    inner.textContent = renderTroops(attackerTroops);
-    this.container.appendChild(el);
-    return el;
-  }
-
-  private updateLabelContent(el: HTMLDivElement, attackerTroops: number) {
-    const inner = el.children[0] as HTMLDivElement;
-    inner.textContent = renderTroops(attackerTroops);
-  }
-
-  private removeLabel(attackID: string) {
-    const label = this.labels.get(attackID);
-    if (!label) return;
-    for (const el of label.elements) el.remove();
-    this.labels.delete(attackID);
-  }
-
-  private clearAllLabels() {
-    for (const label of this.labels.values()) {
-      for (const el of label.elements) el.remove();
-    }
-    this.labels.clear();
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/GameView.ts b/src/client/render/gl/GameView.ts
index 3a84a2a95..fc689e5f9 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/GameView.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/GameView.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import type {
   RadialMenuItem,
 } from "./Events";
 import type { SpawnCenter } from "./passes/SpawnOverlayPass";
+import type { AttackTroopLabel } from "./passes/WorldTextPass";
 import { GPURenderer } from "./Renderer";
 import type { RenderSettings } from "./RenderSettings";
 
@@ -289,6 +290,9 @@ export class GameView {
   applyConquestEvents(events: ConquestFx[]): void {
     this.renderer?.applyConquestEvents(events);
   }
+  setAttackTroopLabels(labels: AttackTroopLabel[]): void {
+    this.renderer?.setAttackTroopLabels(labels);
+  }
   applyBonusEvents(events: BonusEvent[]): void {
     this.renderer?.applyBonusEvents(events);
   }
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts b/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
index b9a01518e..8c1e5b349 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/Renderer.ts
@@ -734,6 +734,12 @@ export class GPURenderer {
     }
   }
 
+  setAttackTroopLabels(
+    labels: import("./passes/WorldTextPass").AttackTroopLabel[],
+  ): void {
+    this.worldTextPass.setAttackTroopLabels(labels);
+  }
+
   applyBonusEvents(events: BonusEvent[]): void {
     if (events.length === 0) return;
     // In live game, filter to local player only. In replay (localPlayerID=0), show all.
@@ -1173,15 +1179,17 @@ export class GPURenderer {
       this.fxPass.draw(cam, zoom);
     }
 
-    this.worldTextPass.tick();
-    this.worldTextPass.draw(cam, zoom);
-
     // Grid shows on either trigger; names hide only under alt-view (space
     // hold), not under the persistent M-key gridView toggle.
     if (this.gridView || this.altView) this.coordinateGridPass.draw(cam, zoom);
     if (pe.name && !this.altView)
       this.namePass.draw(cam, this.nightCompositePass.getAmbient());
 
+    // World text (attack-troop labels, popups, ghost cost) draws on top of
+    // player names so attack callouts aren't hidden behind a centered name.
+    this.worldTextPass.tick(zoom);
+    this.worldTextPass.draw(cam, zoom);
+
     this.radialMenuPass.draw();
 
     gl.disable(gl.BLEND);
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/passes/WorldTextPass.ts b/src/client/render/gl/passes/WorldTextPass.ts
index e4da633f0..5feef24b2 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/passes/WorldTextPass.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/passes/WorldTextPass.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ const GHOST_COST_Y_OFFSET = 3;
 const GHOST_COST_SCALE = 4;
 /** Matches player-name outline width for a consistent UI look. */
 const GHOST_COST_OUTLINE_WIDTH = 1.4;
+/**
+ * Screen-relative em scale for attack troop labels. Pre-divided by the current
+ * zoom each frame so the on-screen label size stays constant regardless of
+ * how far the camera is zoomed.
+ */
+const ATTACK_LABEL_SCREEN_SCALE = 34.0;
+const ATTACK_LABEL_OUTLINE_WIDTH = 1.2;
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Active popup tracking
@@ -63,6 +70,20 @@ interface ActivePopup {
   outlineWidth: number;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Persistent attack-troop label rendered at a world-space position.
+ * AttackingTroopsController pushes a fresh list each frame with already-
+ * interpolated positions (smoothing happens controller-side).
+ */
+export interface AttackTroopLabel {
+  x: number;
+  y: number;
+  text: string;
+  colorR: number;
+  colorG: number;
+  colorB: number;
+}
+
 function formatGold(gold: number): string {
   if (gold >= 1_000_000) return (gold / 1_000_000).toFixed(1) + "M";
   if (gold >= 1_000) return (gold / 1_000).toFixed(1) + "K";
@@ -119,6 +140,10 @@ export class WorldTextPass {
     colorB: number;
   } | null = null;
 
+  // Persistent attack-troop labels. Controller pushes the full list each frame
+  // (already interpolated), so we just iterate and render.
+  private attackTroopLabels: AttackTroopLabel[] = [];
+
   // Settings reference
   private settings: RenderSettings;
 
@@ -336,12 +361,24 @@ export class WorldTextPass {
     };
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Replace the set of attack-troop labels. Controller pushes the full list
+   * each frame with interpolated positions; empty array clears them.
+   */
+  setAttackTroopLabels(labels: AttackTroopLabel[]): void {
+    this.attackTroopLabels = labels;
+  }
+
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Tick — cull expired, rebuild instance buffer
   // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  tick(): void {
-    if (this.active.length === 0 && this.ghostCostLabel === null) {
+  tick(zoom: number): void {
+    if (
+      this.active.length === 0 &&
+      this.ghostCostLabel === null &&
+      this.attackTroopLabels.length === 0
+    ) {
       this.instanceCount = 0;
       return;
     }
@@ -355,10 +392,10 @@ export class WorldTextPass {
       }
     }
 
-    this.rebuildInstances(now);
+    this.rebuildInstances(now, zoom);
   }
 
-  private rebuildInstances(now: number): void {
+  private rebuildInstances(now: number, zoom: number): void {
     let count = 0;
 
     for (const popup of this.active) {
@@ -402,6 +439,38 @@ export class WorldTextPass {
       }
     }
 
+    // Attack troop labels — persistent, no fade. Controller interpolates
+    // positions before pushing. Scale is divided by zoom so the label keeps
+    // a constant on-screen size regardless of how zoomed-in the camera is.
+    const attackScale = ATTACK_LABEL_SCREEN_SCALE / Math.max(zoom, 0.0001);
+    for (const label of this.attackTroopLabels) {
+      layoutString(
+        label.text,
+        this.glyph,
+        this.kernTable,
+        this.charCodes,
+        this.cursors,
+      );
+      const len = Math.min(label.text.length, MAX_CHARS);
+      for (let i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+        if (this.charCodes[i] === 0) continue;
+        if (count >= this.maxInstances) this.growBuffer();
+
+        const off = count * FLOATS_PER_INSTANCE;
+        this.instanceData[off + 0] = label.x;
+        this.instanceData[off + 1] = label.y;
+        this.instanceData[off + 2] = this.cursors[i];
+        this.instanceData[off + 3] = this.charCodes[i];
+        this.instanceData[off + 4] = 1;
+        this.instanceData[off + 5] = label.colorR;
+        this.instanceData[off + 6] = label.colorG;
+        this.instanceData[off + 7] = label.colorB;
+        this.instanceData[off + 8] = attackScale;
+        this.instanceData[off + 9] = ATTACK_LABEL_OUTLINE_WIDTH;
+        count++;
+      }
+    }
+
     // Ghost cost label — persistent, no fade or rise. layoutString already
     // centers cursors around 0, so passing the tile coord places the text
     // centered on the tile (vertex shader adds the +0.5 tile-center offset).
@@ -495,6 +564,7 @@ export class WorldTextPass {
 
   clear(): void {
     this.active.length = 0;
+    this.attackTroopLabels = [];
     this.instanceCount = 0;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/shaders/world-text/world-text.frag.glsl b/src/client/render/gl/shaders/world-text/world-text.frag.glsl
index 870ce6f0e..b58f083bc 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/shaders/world-text/world-text.frag.glsl
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/shaders/world-text/world-text.frag.glsl
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ void main() {
   float outlineDist = screenPxDist + effectiveOutline;
   float outlineAlpha = clamp(outlineDist + 0.5, 0.0, 1.0);
 
+  // Soft dark halo extending past the hard outline — easier to read over
+  // busy terrain. Uses whatever SDF range is left after the hard outline so
+  // it can always fade fully to zero before hitting the SDF saturation
+  // boundary (otherwise the glow clips at the glyph quad and looks square).
+  // Quadratic falloff for a true glow shape — brightest right next to the
+  // text, smoothly thinning to nothing.
+  float glowExtent = max(screenPxRange * 0.5 - effectiveOutline - 0.5, 0.0);
+  float glowT =
+    clamp((outlineDist + glowExtent) / max(glowExtent, 0.0001), 0.0, 1.0);
+  float glowAlpha = glowExtent > 0.0 ? glowT * glowT * 0.75 : 0.0;
+
   vec3 color = mix(vec3(0.0), vColor, fillAlpha);
-  fragColor = vec4(color, outlineAlpha * vAlpha);
+  fragColor = vec4(color, max(outlineAlpha, glowAlpha) * vAlpha);
 }
diff --git a/tests/client/graphics/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.test.ts b/tests/client/graphics/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.test.ts
index 031319cbc..48ba9deed 100644
--- a/tests/client/graphics/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.test.ts
+++ b/tests/client/graphics/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay.test.ts
@@ -1,38 +1,21 @@
 import { describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
 import {
   alignClusterOrder,
-  computeLabelScale,
-} from "../../../../src/client/hud/layers/AttackingTroopsOverlay";
+  Slot,
+} from "../../../../src/client/controllers/AttackingTroopsController";
 import { Cell } from "../../../../src/core/game/Game";
 
-describe("computeLabelScale", () => {
-  // LABEL_FULL_SIZE_ZOOM = 4, LABEL_MIN_RENDERED_SIZE = 0.63,
-  // LABEL_SIZE_MULTIPLIER = 1.0. Rendered size at zoom z:
-  //   1.0 * (0.63 + 0.37 * min(1, z/4)).
-  test("at the full-size threshold, rendered size is capped at the multiplier", () => {
-    // zoom = 4 → rendered = 1.0 → scale = 1.0 / 4.
-    expect(computeLabelScale(4)).toBeCloseTo(1.0 / 4);
-  });
-
-  test("above the threshold, rendered size stays capped (counter-scales zoom)", () => {
-    // zoom = 8 → rendered still 1.0 → scale = 1.0 / 8.
-    expect(computeLabelScale(8)).toBeCloseTo(1.0 / 8);
-  });
-
-  test("at zoom = 0+, rendered size approaches the floor", () => {
-    // As zoom→0, t→0, rendered → 1.0 * 0.63 (the floor).
-    // At zoom = 0.001, rendered ≈ floor, so scale ≈ floor / zoom = huge.
-    const scale = computeLabelScale(0.001);
-    const floorRendered = 1.0 * 0.63;
-    // Within 1% of the floor-divided-by-zoom value.
-    expect(scale).toBeGreaterThan((floorRendered / 0.001) * 0.99);
-    expect(scale).toBeLessThan((floorRendered / 0.001) * 1.01);
-  });
-
-  test("interpolates linearly between floor and full-size threshold", () => {
-    // zoom = 2 → t = 0.5 → rendered = 1.0 * (0.63 + 0.185) = 0.815.
-    expect(computeLabelScale(2)).toBeCloseTo(0.815 / 2);
-  });
+// Slots only need the `dst` fields populated for `alignClusterOrder` — it
+// compares the new positions against the previous targets to decide whether
+// the worker reordered same-size clusters.
+const slot = (x: number, y: number): Slot => ({
+  curX: x,
+  curY: y,
+  srcX: x,
+  srcY: y,
+  dstX: x,
+  dstY: y,
+  startMs: 0,
 });
 
 describe("alignClusterOrder", () => {
@@ -40,7 +23,7 @@ describe("alignClusterOrder", () => {
 
   test("preserves order when direct mapping is closer", () => {
     const next = [c(10, 10), c(100, 100)];
-    const prev = [c(12, 11), c(98, 102)];
+    const prev = [slot(12, 11), slot(98, 102)];
     alignClusterOrder(next, prev);
     expect(next[0].x).toBe(10);
     expect(next[1].x).toBe(100);
@@ -50,7 +33,7 @@ describe("alignClusterOrder", () => {
     // prev[0] is near (10,10), prev[1] is near (100,100); the worker returned
     // them in the opposite order. Expect swap so each label sticks to its front.
     const next = [c(101, 99), c(11, 12)];
-    const prev = [c(10, 10), c(100, 100)];
+    const prev = [slot(10, 10), slot(100, 100)];
     alignClusterOrder(next, prev);
     expect(next[0].x).toBe(11);
     expect(next[1].x).toBe(101);
@@ -58,7 +41,7 @@ describe("alignClusterOrder", () => {
 
   test("does not swap on a tie (strict less-than)", () => {
     const next = [c(0, 0), c(10, 0)];
-    const prev = [c(5, 0), c(5, 0)];
+    const prev = [slot(5, 0), slot(5, 0)];
     alignClusterOrder(next, prev);
     expect(next[0].x).toBe(0);
     expect(next[1].x).toBe(10);
@@ -66,32 +49,28 @@ describe("alignClusterOrder", () => {
 
   test("no-op when fewer than two new positions", () => {
     const single = [c(99, 99)];
-    alignClusterOrder(single, [c(0, 0), c(1000, 1000)]);
+    alignClusterOrder(single, [slot(0, 0), slot(1000, 1000)]);
     expect(single[0].x).toBe(99);
 
     const empty: Cell[] = [];
-    alignClusterOrder(empty, [c(0, 0), c(1000, 1000)]);
+    alignClusterOrder(empty, [slot(0, 0), slot(1000, 1000)]);
     expect(empty.length).toBe(0);
   });
 
-  test("no-op when either previous slot is null (initial render)", () => {
+  test("no-op when fewer than two previous slots (initial render)", () => {
     const next = [c(100, 100), c(0, 0)];
-    alignClusterOrder(next, [null, c(0, 0)]);
+    alignClusterOrder(next, [slot(0, 0)]);
     expect(next[0].x).toBe(100);
     expect(next[1].x).toBe(0);
 
-    alignClusterOrder(next, [c(0, 0), null]);
-    expect(next[0].x).toBe(100);
-    expect(next[1].x).toBe(0);
-
-    alignClusterOrder(next, [null, null]);
+    alignClusterOrder(next, []);
     expect(next[0].x).toBe(100);
     expect(next[1].x).toBe(0);
   });
 
   test("no-op when more than two new positions (assumed cap)", () => {
     const next = [c(100, 0), c(0, 0), c(50, 0)];
-    alignClusterOrder(next, [c(0, 0), c(100, 0)]);
+    alignClusterOrder(next, [slot(0, 0), slot(100, 0)]);
     expect(next.map((p) => p.x)).toEqual([100, 0, 50]);
   });
 });