diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index faebe0d..1c2a654 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ export const TUNE = {
   zPushback: 1.4,   // m a staggered zombie is knocked back
   splatterOverT: 0.1, // s the spent-ball 'over' beat lasts before the next serve is armed
   zPierce: 0.75,    // pace a ball keeps after a splatter — hot balls plow through lined-up pairs
-  bombEvery: 8,     // splatter kills between bomb-ball rewards
-  bombMax: 3,       // bomb balls you can stock at once
+  ballChangeFirst: 3, // game of the first new-balls delivery (real rule: 7, then every 9 — too sparse here)
+  ballChangeEvery: 4, // games between deliveries after the first
+  bombMax: 3,       // bomb balls in a fresh tin
   bombRadius: 2.5,  // m blast radius of a bomb ball
   hordeLen: 12,     // s a horde wave lasts
   hordeRate: 2.5,   // zombies spawned per second during a horde
diff --git a/gameplay.js b/gameplay.js
index 9483778..8164b9e 100644
--- a/gameplay.js
+++ b/gameplay.js
@@ -186,7 +186,11 @@ export function splatPoint(side, quiet = false) {
   const gameOver = advancePoint(side);
   if (gameOver) {
     G.runGames++;
-    if (side === 'O') G.shameGame = true; // they took a game — Oliver pays at the next new-balls delivery
+    if (side === 'O') G.shameGame = true; // they took a game — the next new-balls delivery is withheld
+    // the new-balls rule arms you: deliveries land at the changeover that follows the scheduled game
+    if (G.runGames === TUNE.ballChangeFirst ||
+        (G.runGames > TUNE.ballChangeFirst && (G.runGames - TUNE.ballChangeFirst) % TUNE.ballChangeEvery === 0))
+      G.tinDue = true;
     voice(side === 'P' ? 'game_set_massacre' : 'game_opponent', 0.5); // game-win lines always speak
     cheer(2.2, 0.5);
     const i = side === 'P' ? 0 : 1;
@@ -206,7 +210,12 @@ function startChangeover() {
   G.changeover = true;
   G.phase = 'over'; G.overT = TUNE.changeoverT;
   sendBoy();
-  G.flash = { text: 'CHANGEOVER', t: 1.4 };
+  if (G.tinDue) { // the boys arm you — unless they took a game since the last delivery
+    G.tinDue = false;
+    if (G.shameGame) G.flash = { text: 'NO NEW BALLS', t: 1.6 }; // the umpire withholds
+    else { G.bombs = TUNE.bombMax; voice('new_balls', 0.6); G.flash = { text: 'NEW BALLS', t: 1.6 }; }
+    G.shameGame = false; // the slate is clean either way
+  } else G.flash = { text: 'CHANGEOVER', t: 1.4 };
 }
 
 // retire the splatter ball; a running changeover's long beat must not be clobbered short
diff --git a/state.js b/state.js
index 2a6876d..8758b0e 100644
--- a/state.js
+++ b/state.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export const G = {
   wasServe: false,    // the ball in flight is a serve (first bounce must hit the box)
   splatT: 0,          // time survived in splatter mode — drives the difficulty ramp
   bombs: 0,           // bomb-ball stock (max TUNE.bombMax); the next serve auto-consumes one
-  killMeter: 0,       // splatter kills toward the next bomb reward (every TUNE.bombEvery)
+  tinDue: false,      // the rules called for new balls — deliver at the next changeover
   horde: null,        // active horde wave {t, spawnT, mgT} — machine-gun racket, no serving
   runGames: 0,        // games finished this run (either side) — the difficulty director
   sets: [0, 0],       // splatter sets won [you, them]; 6 games = a set = a horde
diff --git a/zombies.js b/zombies.js
index 661ea90..0aa909c 100644
--- a/zombies.js
+++ b/zombies.js
@@ -62,11 +62,6 @@ function splatter(i, fanfare = true) { // the MAIN ball hit a zombie
   if (ball.kills === 2) { G.flash = { text: 'DOUBLE KILL', t: 0.9 }; cheer(1.6, 0.45); voice('double_kill', 0.4); }
   else if (ball.kills === 3) { G.flash = { text: 'TRIPLE KILL', t: 0.9 }; cheer(2.2, 0.6); voice('triple_kill', 0.4); }
   else if (ball.kills >= 4) { G.flash = { text: `MASSACRE ×${ball.kills}`, t: 0.9 }; cheer(2.8, 0.7); voice('unbelievable', 0.4); }
-  // bomb-ball reward: every bombEvery kills a boy delivers one (up to bombMax in stock)
-  if (++G.killMeter >= TUNE.bombEvery) {
-    G.killMeter = 0;
-    if (G.bombs < TUNE.bombMax) { G.bombs++; sendBoy(); voice('new_balls', 0.2); G.flash = { text: 'BOMB BALL', t: 0.9 }; }
-  }
 }
 
 // ---- horde wave: dense spawns + an auto-firing machine-gun racket (pellets, not the match ball)