diff --git a/unity-client/Assets/Scripts/UI/Battleground/BattlegroundController.cs b/unity-client/Assets/Scripts/UI/Battleground/BattlegroundController.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..890a07c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unity-client/Assets/Scripts/UI/Battleground/BattlegroundController.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+using System;
+using UnityEngine;
+using UnityEngine.UI;
+using UnityEngine.SceneManagement;
+using TMPro;
+using Newtonsoft.Json;
+using CommanderAILab.Models;
+using CommanderAILab.Services;
+
+namespace CommanderAILab.UI
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Master orchestrator for the Battleground scene.
+    /// Reads the lobby config written by SimulationController (PlayerPrefs "BattleSeats"),
+    /// wires up all seat panels, and opens the LobbySetupModal on start.
+    /// </summary>
+    public class BattlegroundController : MonoBehaviour
+    {
+        // ── Inspector ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+        [Header("Seat Panels")]
+        [SerializeField] private RectTransform[] seatPanels;   // [0]=bottom,[1]=right,[2]=top,[3]=left
+
+        [Header("Center")]
+        [SerializeField] private PhaseTrackerWidget phaseTracker;
+        [SerializeField] private TurnOrderBar       turnOrderBar;
+
+        [Header("Modals")]
+        [SerializeField] private LobbySetupModal    lobbyModal;
+
+        [Header("Navigation")]
+        [SerializeField] private Button             mainMenuButton;
+
+        // ── Seat rotations ────────────────────────────────────────
+        private static readonly float[] SeatRotations = { 0f, -90f, 180f, 90f };
+
+        // ── Lifecycle ──────────────────────────────────────────
+        private void Start()
+        {
+            ApplySeatRotations();
+            SubscribeEvents();
+
+            mainMenuButton.onClick.AddListener(() => SceneManager.LoadScene("MainMenu"));
+
+            // Pre-populate lobby from PlayerPrefs if arriving via SimulationController
+            string savedSeats = PlayerPrefs.GetString("BattleSeats", "");
+            if (lobbyModal != null)
+                lobbyModal.Open(savedSeats);
+        }
+
+        private void OnDestroy() => UnsubscribeEvents();
+
+        // ── Layout ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+        private void ApplySeatRotations()
+        {
+            for (int i = 0; i < seatPanels.Length; i++)
+            {
+                if (seatPanels[i] == null) continue;
+                seatPanels[i].localEulerAngles = new Vector3(0f, 0f, SeatRotations[i]);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // ── Event subscriptions ──────────────────────────────────
+        private void SubscribeEvents()
+        {
+            if (GameStateManager.Instance == null) return;
+            GameStateManager.Instance.OnTurnChanged  += OnTurnChanged;
+            GameStateManager.Instance.OnPhaseChanged += OnPhaseChanged;
+            GameStateManager.Instance.OnFullStateSync += OnFullStateSync;
+        }
+
+        private void UnsubscribeEvents()
+        {
+            if (GameStateManager.Instance == null) return;
+            GameStateManager.Instance.OnTurnChanged  -= OnTurnChanged;
+            GameStateManager.Instance.OnPhaseChanged -= OnPhaseChanged;
+            GameStateManager.Instance.OnFullStateSync -= OnFullStateSync;
+        }
+
+        private void OnTurnChanged(int seat) =>
+            turnOrderBar?.SetActiveSeat(seat);
+
+        private void OnPhaseChanged(PhaseTrackerWidget.Phase phase, int seat, int turn) =>
+            phaseTracker?.SetPhase(phase, seat, turn);
+
+        private void OnFullStateSync(GameState state)
+        {
+            // Delegate per-seat refresh to each SeatPanelController once those exist
+            turnOrderBar?.SetActiveSeat(state.activeSeat);
+        }
+    }
+}