# [ENCOUNTER NAME]

> Rule: every encounter file should make the aftermath as explicit as the fight.

## 1) Encounter identity
- Encounter family: [patrol / pirate / honor challenge / customs / ambush / distress / claimant / debt collection]
- Trigger source:
- Why this happens in the world:

## 2) Pre-encounter state
- What conditions make it more likely:
- What crew/culture changes before combat:
- What non-combat options may appear:

## 3) Tactical structure
- Battlefield shape:
- Enemy posture:
- Key pressure:
- Why positioning matters:
- Retreat conditions:
- Crew abilities that matter most:

## 4) Cultural overlay
- What knowledge changes:
- What misunderstanding causes:
- What can defuse / escalate the encounter:

## 5) Resolution branches
- Victory:
- Loss:
- Retreat:
- Negotiated / alternate outcome:

## 6) Campaign writeback
- Credits:
- Cargo:
- Ship condition:
- Crew condition:
- Reputation:
- Consequence tags:
- Investigation progress:

## 7) Validation
- Why this is not just a combat scene:
- What makes each branch meaningfully different:
