diff --git a/tools/playthrough.mjs b/tools/playthrough.mjs
index 9d23892..8f57606 100644
--- a/tools/playthrough.mjs
+++ b/tools/playthrough.mjs
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
  *   node tools/playthrough.mjs redcap             a named creature
  *   node tools/playthrough.mjs redcap 20260913    a chosen seed
  *   node tools/playthrough.mjs redcap 20260913 focus    one mode only
+ *   node tools/playthrough.mjs --creature quiet_neighbours_npc --count 6 \\
+ *     --party ashcroft,bhattacharya,renshaw,braithwaite,pollard,okonkwo --seed 11
+ *                                     a scenario's own encounter, against its own cast
  *
  * The pack size comes from focus-baseline.json, so the fight you read is the fight
  * check-focus measures. Creatures it records as pinned — no pack size makes them an even
@@ -28,20 +31,33 @@ const ROOT = path.resolve(path.dirname(new URL(import.meta.url).pathname.replace
 const base  = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, "tools", "lethality-baseline.json"), "utf8"));
 const focus = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, "tools", "focus-baseline.json"), "utf8"));
 
-const KEY  = process.argv[2] ?? "redcap";
-const SEED = Number(process.argv[3] ?? 20260913);
+/* Flags mirror tools/simulate.mjs, so a fight measured there can be read here with the
+   same words. The positional form still works: <key> <seed> <mode>. */
+const argv = process.argv.slice(2);
+const opt  = (n, d) => { const i = argv.indexOf(n); return i >= 0 ? argv[i + 1] : d; };
+const positional = argv.filter((a, i) => !a.startsWith("--") && !(i > 0 && argv[i - 1].startsWith("--")));
+
+const KEY  = opt("--creature", positional[0] ?? "redcap");
+const SEED = Number(opt("--seed", positional[1] ?? 20260913));
 const spec = NPCS.find(n => n.key === KEY);
 if (!spec) {
   console.error(`playthrough: no creature keyed "${KEY}". Try one of: `
     + NPCS.slice(0, 6).map(n => n.key).join(", ") + ", ...");
   process.exit(1);
 }
-const party = base.party.map(k => ROSTER.find(r => r.key === k || r.key === "pc_" + k));
+/* The frozen four by default — the party every recorded number is measured against — or a
+   named cast, for reading a scenario's own encounter rather than the guard's. */
+const partyKeys = (opt("--party", "") || "").split(",").map(x => x.trim()).filter(Boolean);
+const party = (partyKeys.length ? partyKeys : base.party).map(k => {
+  const found = ROSTER.find(r => r.key === k || r.key === "pc_" + k);
+  if (!found) { console.error(`playthrough: "${k}" is not on the duty roster`); process.exit(1); }
+  return found;
+});
 const rec = focus.creatures[KEY];
 /* A pinned row records the pack size that was TRIED, not one worth playing: the header
    above promises solo for those, and a tool that contradicts its own documentation is the
    defect this file exists to help find. Solo also matches what check-lethality records. */
-const N = rec?.gain !== undefined ? rec.n : 1;
+const N = Number(opt("--count", 0)) || (rec?.gain !== undefined ? rec.n : 1);
 
 /* The same generator shape the guards use, so a seed here names the same fight there. */
 const mk = seed => { let s = seed >>> 0; return () => ((s = (1664525 * s + 1013904223) >>> 0) / 4294967296); };
@@ -92,7 +108,8 @@ function play(mode) {
   return { r, lines };
 }
 
-const MODES = process.argv[4] ? [process.argv[4]] : (N > 1 ? ["random", "focus"] : ["random"]);
+const MODE = opt("--mode", positional[2]);
+const MODES = MODE ? [MODE] : (N > 1 ? ["random", "focus"] : ["random"]);
 for (const mode of MODES) {
   const { r, lines } = play(mode);
   const how = N === 1 ? "" : mode === "focus" ? "  —  party CONCENTRATING FIRE"
@@ -100,7 +117,7 @@ for (const mode of MODES) {
   console.log(`\n${"=".repeat(78)}\n${N} × ${spec.name.toUpperCase()}${how}\n${"=".repeat(78)}`);
   console.log(lines.join("\n"));
   console.log(`\n  → ${r.won ? "PARTY WINS" : r.wiped ? "PARTY WIPED" : "neither side finished it"}`
-    + ` in ${r.rounds} rounds · ${r.partyDown} of 4 down · ${r.dead} dead`);
+    + ` in ${r.rounds} rounds · ${r.partyDown} of ${party.length} down · ${r.dead} dead`);
 }
 
 if (rec?.gain !== undefined)