diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index ee4d843..36a4d1f 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
               <strong id="score">0</strong>
             </div>
             <div class="hud-item">
-              <span>Lives</span>
-              <strong id="lives">3</strong>
+              <span>Health</span>
+              <strong id="lives">100%</strong>
             </div>
             <div class="hud-item">
               <span>Enemies</span>
diff --git a/src/game.js b/src/game.js
index 245cbc6..3d604c6 100644
--- a/src/game.js
+++ b/src/game.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     hud.style.cssText =
       "width:800px;max-width:100%;margin:8px auto;color:#e8eadf;font:16px/1.4 system-ui,sans-serif;display:flex;gap:18px;flex-wrap:wrap;";
     hud.innerHTML =
-      'Score: <span id="score">0</span> Lives: <span id="lives">3</span> Enemies: <span id="enemies">0</span>';
+      'Score: <span id="score">0</span> Health: <span id="lives">100%</span> Enemies: <span id="enemies">0</span>';
     canvas.parentNode.insertBefore(hud, canvas.nextSibling);
   }
 
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@
   const FIRE_COOLDOWN = 0.34;
   const ENEMY_FIRE_COOLDOWN = 1.35;
   const BRICK_SIZE = 20;
+  const PLAYER_MAX_HEALTH = 100;
+  const PLAYER_HIT_DAMAGE = 34;
   const DIRS = {
     up: { x: 0, y: -1 },
     down: { x: 0, y: 1 },
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@
   const keys = new Set();
   let state = "menu";
   let score = 0;
-  let lives = 3;
+  let health = PLAYER_MAX_HEALTH;
   let player;
   let enemies = [];
   let bullets = [];
@@ -147,14 +149,15 @@
     // Generate a handful of vertical/horizontal steel segments at random tile
     // positions, skipping any that overlap a spawn keep-out zone.
     const pieces = [];
-    const count = 3 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 3); // 3-5 steel walls
+    const segmentCount = 5 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 3); // 5-7 steel wall segments
     const cols = Math.floor(WIDTH / TILE);
     const rows = Math.floor(HEIGHT / TILE);
+    let placedSegments = 0;
     let attempts = 0;
-    while (pieces.length < count && attempts < count * 20) {
+    while (placedSegments < segmentCount && attempts < segmentCount * 30) {
       attempts += 1;
       const vertical = Math.random() < 0.5;
-      const length = (2 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 2)) * TILE; // 2-3 tiles long
+      const length = (2 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 3)) * TILE; // 2-4 tiles long
       const x = Math.floor(Math.random() * cols) * TILE;
       const y = Math.floor(Math.random() * rows) * TILE;
       const w = vertical ? TILE : length;
@@ -165,6 +168,7 @@
       if (occupied.some((area) => intersects(candidate, area))) continue;
       pieces.push(...steelWall(x, y, w, h));
       occupied.push(candidate);
+      placedSegments += 1;
     }
     return pieces;
   }
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@
 
   function resetGame() {
     score = 0;
-    lives = 3;
+    health = PLAYER_MAX_HEALTH;
     bullets = [];
     particles = [];
     regenerateWalls();
@@ -278,7 +282,7 @@
 
   function updateHud() {
     scoreEl.textContent = score;
-    livesEl.textContent = lives;
+    livesEl.textContent = `${health}%`;
     enemiesEl.textContent = enemies.filter((enemy) => enemy.alive).length;
   }
 
@@ -445,9 +449,9 @@
           continue;
         }
       } else if (intersects(bullet, player)) {
-        lives -= 1;
+        health = Math.max(0, health - PLAYER_HIT_DAMAGE);
         spark(player.x + player.w / 2, player.y + player.h / 2, "#77b255");
-        if (lives <= 0) {
+        if (health <= 0) {
           player.alive = false;
           setState("gameOver");
         } else {
@@ -551,13 +555,13 @@
     let glowColor, glowBlur, outerColor, innerColor, coreColor;
 
     if (isPlayer) {
-      if (lives >= 3) {
+      if (health > 66) {
         glowColor = "rgba(132, 238, 212, 0.75)";
         glowBlur = 12;
         outerColor = "#e8fff7";
         innerColor = "#102822";
         coreColor = entity.color;
-      } else if (lives === 2) {
+      } else if (health > 33) {
         glowColor = "rgba(240, 182, 70, 0.45)";
         glowBlur = 8;
         outerColor = "#c8c0a0";
@@ -585,7 +589,7 @@
     ctx.fillStyle = "rgba(255,255,255,0.18)";
     ctx.fillRect(-7, -8, 14, 16);
 
-    if (isPlayer && lives === 2) {
+    if (isPlayer && health <= 66 && health > 33) {
       ctx.strokeStyle = "rgba(30, 20, 10, 0.55)";
       ctx.lineWidth = 2;
       ctx.beginPath();
@@ -601,7 +605,7 @@
       ctx.fillRect(5, -4, 4, 4);
     }
 
-    if (isPlayer && lives <= 1) {
+    if (isPlayer && health <= 33) {
       ctx.strokeStyle = "rgba(80, 10, 10, 0.6)";
       ctx.lineWidth = 2;
       ctx.beginPath();
@@ -623,7 +627,7 @@
     }
 
     ctx.fillStyle = isPlayer ? "#f4fff8" : "#1b0805";
-    if (isPlayer && lives <= 1 && Math.floor(Date.now() / 300) % 2 === 0) {
+    if (isPlayer && health <= 33 && Math.floor(Date.now() / 300) % 2 === 0) {
       ctx.globalAlpha = 0.3;
     }
     ctx.fillRect(-4, -26, 8, 20);
@@ -633,7 +637,7 @@
       ctx.fillRect(-10, -2, 20, 4);
       ctx.fillStyle = "#79e5c9";
       ctx.fillRect(-5, -5, 10, 10);
-      if (lives <= 1 && Math.floor(Date.now() / 300) % 2 === 0) {
+      if (health <= 33 && Math.floor(Date.now() / 300) % 2 === 0) {
         ctx.fillStyle = "rgba(212, 93, 69, 0.7)";
         ctx.beginPath();
         ctx.moveTo(0, -14);