diff --git a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4NET.CPP b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4NET.CPP
index c7058f1..de6b4b7 100644
--- a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4NET.CPP
+++ b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4NET.CPP
@@ -354,6 +354,17 @@ L4NetworkManager::L4NetworkManager():
 				//
 				if (!RelayDiscover(&relayConsoleAddress))
 				{
+					// Release Fail() is a bare abort() -- without this box a
+					// player just sees a "crash" (field report 2026-07-18)
+					MessageBoxA(NULL,
+						"No game server answered on this network.\n\n"
+						"join_lan.bat only works on the SAME network as the\n"
+						"operator's machine.  Joining over the internet?\n"
+						"Use join.bat instead.\n\n"
+						"On the operator's own network: make sure the\n"
+						"operator has pressed Start Session, then try again.",
+						"BattleTech -- can't find the game server",
+						MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR);
 					Fail("BT_RELAY=auto: no relay answered on this LAN\n");
 				}
 			}
@@ -402,6 +413,18 @@ L4NetworkManager::L4NetworkManager():
 			{
 				if (!RelayRequestSeat())
 				{
+					char seat_error[256];
+					sprintf(seat_error,
+						"Could not join the game at %s:%d.\n\n"
+						"Either the operator has not started the session\n"
+						"yet, the game is full, or the server is not\n"
+						"reachable from here.\n\n"
+						"Check with the operator and run join.bat again.",
+						inet_ntoa(relayConsoleAddress.sin_addr),
+						(int)ntohs(relayConsoleAddress.sin_port));
+					MessageBoxA(NULL, seat_error,
+						"BattleTech -- can't join the game",
+						MB_OK | MB_ICONERROR);
 					Fail("relay seat request failed (roster full or relay "
 						 "unreachable)\n");
 				}
diff --git a/players/join.bat b/players/join.bat
index be7e127..c18bed1 100644
--- a/players/join.bat
+++ b/players/join.bat
@@ -4,3 +4,8 @@ rem is assigned automatically by the operator console.
 set BT_RELAY=107.202.218.169:1500
 cd /d %~dp0content
 ..\build\Release\btl4.exe -egg OPERATOR.EGG -net 1501
+echo.
+echo The game has exited.  If you did NOT quit on purpose,
+echo the session may not be running yet or the server was
+echo unreachable -- check with the operator and try again.
+pause
diff --git a/players/join_lan.bat b/players/join_lan.bat
index 6e4aab8..16f2c84 100644
--- a/players/join_lan.bat
+++ b/players/join_lan.bat
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 @echo off
-rem BT411 -- join the LAN game.  Finds the operator
-rem console AND your seat automatically.
+rem BT411 -- join the game from the operator's OWN
+rem network (LAN) -- finds the console automatically.
+rem Joining over the INTERNET?  Use join.bat instead.
 set BT_RELAY=auto
 cd /d %~dp0content
 ..\build\Release\btl4.exe -egg OPERATOR.EGG -net 1501
+echo.
+echo The game has exited.  If you did NOT quit on purpose,
+echo the session may not be running yet or the server was
+echo unreachable -- check with the operator and try again.
+pause
diff --git a/tools/btoperator.py b/tools/btoperator.py
index 255f2cf..d7a1517 100644
--- a/tools/btoperator.py
+++ b/tools/btoperator.py
@@ -706,6 +706,11 @@ class Operator(QMainWindow):
         # first-come-first-served (no BT_SELF), so every player gets the SAME
         # file -- who flies which mech is whoever sits down first, exactly
         # like walking up to a pod.
+        tail = ("echo.\n"
+                "echo The game has exited.  If you did NOT quit on purpose,\n"
+                "echo the session may not be running yet or the server was\n"
+                "echo unreachable -- check with the operator and try again.\n"
+                "pause\n")
         with open(os.path.join(out_dir, "join.bat"), "w", newline="\r\n") as f:
             f.write("@echo off\n"
                     "rem BT411 -- join %s's game (internet).  Your seat/mech\n"
@@ -713,16 +718,17 @@ class Operator(QMainWindow):
                     "set BT_RELAY=%s:%d\n"
                     "cd /d %%~dp0content\n"
                     "..\\build\\Release\\btl4.exe -egg %s -net 1501\n"
-                    % (host, host, self.f_port.value(), egg_name))
+                    % (host, host, self.f_port.value(), egg_name) + tail)
         with open(os.path.join(out_dir, "join_lan.bat"), "w",
                   newline="\r\n") as f:
             f.write("@echo off\n"
-                    "rem BT411 -- join the LAN game.  Finds the operator\n"
-                    "rem console AND your seat automatically.\n"
+                    "rem BT411 -- join the game from the operator's OWN\n"
+                    "rem network (LAN) -- finds the console automatically.\n"
+                    "rem Joining over the INTERNET?  Use join.bat instead.\n"
                     "set BT_RELAY=auto\n"
                     "cd /d %%~dp0content\n"
                     "..\\build\\Release\\btl4.exe -egg %s -net 1501\n"
-                    % egg_name)
+                    % egg_name + tail)
         self.log.appendPlainText(
             "exported join.bat + join_lan.bat to %s (public host: %s) -- "
             "one file for everyone; the relay assigns seats"