diff --git a/players/join.bat b/players/join.bat
index 91f531a..1779f9f 100644
--- a/players/join.bat
+++ b/players/join.bat
@@ -20,11 +20,19 @@ cd content
 rem JOIN-GAME menu (2026-07-22): pick your CALLSIGN + MECH, click JOIN --
 rem your choice is sent to the operator and lands in the mission roster.
 set BT_FE_JOIN=1
+rem LAUNCH FORENSICS (#41): bracket the exe from outside -- if it dies
+rem before it can write its own log, this report still records when it
+rem ran, how it exited, and whether it ever created its log at all.
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] launching btl4.exe > launch_report.txt
 ..\build\Release\btl4.exe
+set BT_EXITCODE=%ERRORLEVEL%
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] btl4.exe exited with code %BT_EXITCODE% >> launch_report.txt
+if not exist join.log echo join.log WAS NEVER CREATED: the exe was blocked before it could run (loader failure or antivirus) >> launch_report.txt
+if exist join.log for %%A in (join.log) do echo join.log size: %%~zA bytes >> launch_report.txt
 echo.
 echo The game has exited.  If you did NOT quit on purpose
-echo (crash, or it never connected), send the operator the
-echo file  content\join.log  so they can see what happened.
+echo (crash, or it never connected), send the operator BOTH files:
+echo   content\join.log  and  content\launch_report.txt
 echo Otherwise the session may not be up yet -- try again.
 pause
 exit /b
diff --git a/players/join_lan.bat b/players/join_lan.bat
index 0b4e245..f6fb9c1 100644
--- a/players/join_lan.bat
+++ b/players/join_lan.bat
@@ -23,11 +23,19 @@ cd content
 rem JOIN-GAME menu (2026-07-22): pick your CALLSIGN + MECH, click JOIN --
 rem your choice is sent to the operator and lands in the mission roster.
 set BT_FE_JOIN=1
+rem LAUNCH FORENSICS (#41): bracket the exe from outside -- if it dies
+rem before it can write its own log, this report still records when it
+rem ran, how it exited, and whether it ever created its log at all.
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] launching btl4.exe > launch_report.txt
 ..\build\Release\btl4.exe
+set BT_EXITCODE=%ERRORLEVEL%
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] btl4.exe exited with code %BT_EXITCODE% >> launch_report.txt
+if not exist join.log echo join.log WAS NEVER CREATED: the exe was blocked before it could run (loader failure or antivirus) >> launch_report.txt
+if exist join.log for %%A in (join.log) do echo join.log size: %%~zA bytes >> launch_report.txt
 echo.
 echo The game has exited.  If you did NOT quit on purpose
-echo (crash, or it never connected), send the operator the
-echo file  content\join.log  so they can see what happened.
+echo (crash, or it never connected), send the operator BOTH files:
+echo   content\join.log  and  content\launch_report.txt
 echo Otherwise the session may not be up yet -- try again.
 pause
 exit /b
diff --git a/players/joyconfig.bat b/players/joyconfig.bat
index d1719f1..1a058ff 100644
--- a/players/joyconfig.bat
+++ b/players/joyconfig.bat
@@ -20,7 +20,15 @@ set BT_LOG=join.log
 set BT_LOG_APPEND=1
 set BT_FE_SOLO=1
 cd content
+rem LAUNCH FORENSICS (#41): bracket the exe from outside -- if it dies
+rem before it can write its own log, this report still records when it
+rem ran, how it exited, and whether it ever created its log at all.
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] launching btl4.exe > launch_report.txt
 ..\build\Release\btl4.exe
+set BT_EXITCODE=%ERRORLEVEL%
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] btl4.exe exited with code %BT_EXITCODE% >> launch_report.txt
+if not exist join.log echo join.log WAS NEVER CREATED: the exe was blocked before it could run (loader failure or antivirus) >> launch_report.txt
+if exist join.log for %%A in (join.log) do echo join.log size: %%~zA bytes >> launch_report.txt
 exit /b
 :badpath
 echo.
diff --git a/players/play_solo.bat b/players/play_solo.bat
index 1a09300..48f6bd1 100644
--- a/players/play_solo.bat
+++ b/players/play_solo.bat
@@ -19,7 +19,15 @@ set BT_LOG=join.log
 set BT_LOG_APPEND=1
 set BT_FE_SOLO=1
 cd content
+rem LAUNCH FORENSICS (#41): bracket the exe from outside -- if it dies
+rem before it can write its own log, this report still records when it
+rem ran, how it exited, and whether it ever created its log at all.
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] launching btl4.exe > launch_report.txt
 ..\build\Release\btl4.exe
+set BT_EXITCODE=%ERRORLEVEL%
+echo [%DATE% %TIME%] btl4.exe exited with code %BT_EXITCODE% >> launch_report.txt
+if not exist join.log echo join.log WAS NEVER CREATED: the exe was blocked before it could run (loader failure or antivirus) >> launch_report.txt
+if exist join.log for %%A in (join.log) do echo join.log size: %%~zA bytes >> launch_report.txt
 echo.
 echo The game has exited.  If it closed unexpectedly,
 echo send the operator content\join.log.