diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/env.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/env.ludic
index 3a879c4d..2933f465 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/env.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/env.ludic
@@ -198,6 +198,9 @@ export state Render3dState {
   gvk_al_map: []pointer = null
   gvk_al_tag: []int = null          # per allocation id: owner * 4 + image * 2 + host (vkmem_report.ludic)
   gvk_tag: int = 0                  # the owner allocations are made for now (VKM_*)
+  gvk_ring_half: int = 0            # the ring half a frame writes, once it has had to grow (gvk_ring_grow)
+  gvk_ring_full: bool = false       # a frame ran out of ring: grow it at the next reset
+  gvk_ring_peak: int = 0            # the most of a ring half a frame has used (R3D_VKMEM)
   vkmem_at: int = 0                 # R3D_VKMEM=<frame>: the report is printed at that frame
   sh_layers: int = 5                # the shadow array's layers: the cascades the fog wall needs (shadow_fog)
   fog_imp_released: int = 0         # impostor atlases let go under a fog wall (fog_impostors.ludic)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/fog_streams.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/fog_streams.ludic
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1c684c2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/fog_streams.ludic
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# fog_streams.ludic — a streamed layer's arrays and its stream's cache are sized for the reach the fog
+# wall leaves it. Both were made for the stream's whole reach (800 m for the far cover) and kept
+# whatever the fog; under a wall the ground cover inside it is a sliver of that.
+
+const FOG_STREAM_SLACK: float = 2.0    # room over the area's share: the bands are not evenly dense
+const FOG_STREAM_MIN: int = 4096       # instances: the least a layer is ever given
+
+# the capacity a stream's layer needs at the wall: its area's share of the whole reach, with slack
+function fog_stream_cap(render3d_st: Render3dState, s: Stream) -> int {
+  let reach = r3d_reach(render3d_st, s.reach)
+  if render3d_st.r3d_fog_wall <= 0.0 or reach <= 0.0 or reach >= s.reach { return s.cap0 }
+  let k = (reach + s.size) / (s.reach + s.size)
+  let share = Math.min(1.0, k * k * FOG_STREAM_SLACK)
+  return Math.max(FOG_STREAM_MIN, Math.min(s.cap0, int(float(s.cap0) * share)))
+}
+
+# the layer's arrays and the stream's arena made at that capacity, and the cache emptied to refill
+@alloc_ok("a fog change from Settings: a streamed layer's arrays made again at the reach the wall leaves")
+function fog_stream(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, s: Stream) -> void {
+  let cap = fog_stream_cap(render3d_st, s)
+  let l = s.layer
+  if cap == l.cap { return }
+  free(l.inst);  free(l.scratch)
+  l.cap = cap;  l.have = cap;  l.count = 0
+  l.inst = floats(cap * INST_FLOATS)
+  l.scratch = floats(cap * INST_FLOATS)
+  if l.lvl != null { free(l.lvl);  l.lvl = words(cap) }
+  free(s.arena)
+  s.arena = words(Math.max(cap, 4096) * 2 * INST_FLOATS)
+  s.top = 0
+  let chunks = s.chunks
+  while len(chunks) > 0 {
+    let c = List.pop(chunks)
+    c.off = -1
+    push(s.spare, c)
+  }
+  s.n = 0
+  for h in 0 .. STREAM_HASH { s.htab[h] = 0 }
+  # regrown within the frame budget from the next update, not all in one frame
+  s.last_cx = 999998
+  s.pending = true
+  l.view_gen = -1
+}
+
+function fog_streams(render3d_st: mut Render3dState) -> void {
+  if render3d_st.stream_all == null { return }
+  for i in 0 .. len(render3d_st.stream_all) { fog_stream(render3d_st, render3d_st.stream_all[i]) }
+}
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic
index 585bf974..1625907b 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic
@@ -715,13 +715,30 @@ function gvk_bind_texture(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, p: int, name: string,
 # Each draw's blocks are copied into one host-visible ring buffer at the device's alignment and
 # its descriptor set comes from a pool that is reset with the frame. Both are rewound at
 # gvk_frame_reset.
-const GVK_RING_BYTES: int = 64 * 1024 * 1024
+# 16 MB a half: the valley's heaviest measured frame used 3 MB (2761 draws), and a frame that ever
+# needs more grows it for the frames after (gvk_ring_grow). At 64 MB it held 128 MB for 3 MB of use.
+const GVK_RING_BYTES: int = 16 * 1024 * 1024
 const GVK_RING_SMALL: int = 4 * 1024 * 1024       # a UI's frame: a few hundred small blocks
 function gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st: Render3dState) -> int {
+  if render3d_st.gvk_ring_half > 0 { return render3d_st.gvk_ring_half }
   if render3d_st.r3d_small { return GVK_RING_SMALL }
   return GVK_RING_BYTES
 }
 
+# a frame ran out of ring: the next frame starts on one twice the size. The kept descriptor sets bind
+# the ring buffer itself, so they are made again; the frame that ran out lost those draws once
+function gvk_ring_grow(render3d_st: mut Render3dState) -> void {
+  render3d_st.gvk_ring_full = false
+  gvk_frame_wait(render3d_st)
+  let half = gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st) * 2
+  gvk_buf_release(render3d_st, render3d_st.gvk_ring_buf)
+  if not gvk_buf_reserve(render3d_st, render3d_st.gvk_ring_buf, half * 2) { return }
+  render3d_st.gvk_ring_half = half
+  gvk_kpool_reset(render3d_st)
+  gvk_say_ring_grew(half)
+}
+function gvk_say_ring_grew(half: int) -> void { print(`r3d: vulkan: a frame outgrew the uniform ring; {half / 1048576} MB a half from now`) }
+
 @alloc_ok("start-up: the device, its tables, the programs, the passes and the world's first textures are made once, before play")
 function gvk_frame_init(render3d_st: mut Render3dState) -> bool {
   let props = bytes(VkPhysicalDeviceProperties_sizeof)
@@ -735,6 +752,8 @@ function gvk_frame_init(render3d_st: mut Render3dState) -> bool {
   render3d_st.gvk_msaa_max = 1
   if (counts & VK_SAMPLE_COUNT_2_BIT) != 0 { render3d_st.gvk_msaa_max = 2 }
   if (counts & VK_SAMPLE_COUNT_4_BIT) != 0 { render3d_st.gvk_msaa_max = 4 }
+  # R3D_RING_KB=<n>: start on a ring that small, to watch it grow
+  if r3d_env_has(render3d_st, "R3D_RING_KB") { render3d_st.gvk_ring_half = Text.to_int(r3d_env(render3d_st, "R3D_RING_KB")) * 1024 }
   render3d_st.gvk_ring_buf = gvk_buf_new(render3d_st)
   # one half per frame slot: the cached sets bind this one buffer, and each draw's offset says the half
   if not gvk_buf_reserve(render3d_st, render3d_st.gvk_ring_buf, gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st) * 2) { return false }
@@ -774,6 +793,7 @@ function gvk_frame_reset(render3d_st: mut Render3dState) -> void {
   # pool filled - 8192 sets, hours of play: past GVK_SC_DEAD_MAX releases the pool starts over, and a
   # draw still in use makes its set again the first time it is drawn
   if render3d_st.gvk_sc_dead >= GVK_SC_DEAD_MAX { gvk_kpool_reset(render3d_st) }
+  if render3d_st.gvk_ring_full { gvk_ring_grow(render3d_st) }
   let slot = render3d_st.gvk_frame_no & 1
   render3d_st.gvk_ring_off = slot * gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st)
   render3d_st.gvk_ring_end = (slot + 1) * gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st)
@@ -784,9 +804,11 @@ function gvk_frame_reset(render3d_st: mut Render3dState) -> void {
 # a block into the ring; its offset, or -1 when the frame has used the whole ring
 function gvk_ring_put(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, blk: pointer, n: int) -> int {
   let at = (render3d_st.gvk_ring_off + render3d_st.gvk_ring_align - 1) / render3d_st.gvk_ring_align * render3d_st.gvk_ring_align
-  if at + n > render3d_st.gvk_ring_end { return -1 }
+  if at + n > render3d_st.gvk_ring_end { render3d_st.gvk_ring_full = true;  return -1 }
   mem_copy(mem_off(render3d_st.gvk_buf_map[render3d_st.gvk_ring_buf], at), blk, n)
   render3d_st.gvk_ring_off = at + n
+  let used = render3d_st.gvk_ring_off - (render3d_st.gvk_ring_end - gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st))
+  if used > render3d_st.gvk_ring_peak { render3d_st.gvk_ring_peak = used }
   return at
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/r3d.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/r3d.ludic
index 87d9f40d..90c22f66 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/r3d.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/r3d.ludic
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import "fog_casters.ludic"
 import "fog_impostors.ludic"
 import "actor.ludic"
 import "stream.ludic"
+import "fog_streams.ludic"
 import "grass.ludic"
 import "grass_gpu.ludic"
 import "water.ludic"
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/render.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/render.ludic
index f2cf20b4..81c63e92 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/render.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/render.ludic
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ export function r3d_fog_wall(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, dist: float) -> voi
   cam_update(render3d_st)
   fog_impostors(render3d_st)
   shadow_fog(render3d_st)
+  fog_streams(render3d_st)
 }
 # how far anything is drawn: the fog wall and a margin, or `far` (0: no limit of its own) without one
 function r3d_reach(render3d_st: Render3dState, far: float) -> float {
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/stream.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/stream.ludic
index 8e00126b..bb2a5463 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/stream.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/stream.ludic
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ property Stream {
   htab:    words,          # open-addressed key -> chunk index + 1 (0 = empty)
   arena:   words,          # every kept chunk's instances, in the order of `chunks`
   top:     int = 0,        # words of the arena in use
-  spare:   []Chunk         # records not in use: all of them are made with the stream
+  spare:   []Chunk,        # records not in use: all of them are made with the stream
+  cap0:    int = 0         # the layer's capacity for the whole reach (fog_streams.ludic)
 }
 
 # microseconds spent per frame, split so the hitch can be attributed (R3D_PROF=1)
@@ -82,6 +83,8 @@ function stream_new__t(render3d_st: mut Render3dState, layer: Layer, size: float
   for i in 0 .. STREAM_HASH { s.htab[i] = 0 }
   if render3d_st.stream_all == null { render3d_st.stream_all = new []Stream }
   push(render3d_st.stream_all, s)
+  s.cap0 = layer.cap
+  fog_stream(render3d_st, s)
   return s
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/vkmem_report.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/vkmem_report.ludic
index b8688f59..b34696de 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/vkmem_report.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/vkmem_report.ludic
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ function vkmem_report(render3d_st: Render3dState) -> void {
   for k in 0 .. VKM_N { if cnt[k] > 0 { vkmem_say_row(vkmem_name(k), img[k], buf[k], host[k], cnt[k]) } }
   vkmem_big(render3d_st)
   vkmem_cpu(render3d_st)
+  vkmem_layers(render3d_st)
+  vkmem_big_bufs(render3d_st)
+  vkmem_say_ring(render3d_st.gvk_ring_peak, gvk_ring_bytes(render3d_st))
 }
 
 # the largest images, with their owner, size and format
@@ -93,11 +96,15 @@ function vkmem_say_img(name: string, n: int, w: int, h: int, layers: int, levels
 function vkmem_cpu(render3d_st: Render3dState) -> void {
   var lay = 0
   var cap = 0
+  var st = 0
   for i in 0 .. len(render3d_st.sc_layers) {
     let l = render3d_st.sc_layers[i]
-    lay += vkmem_fl(l.inst) + vkmem_fl(l.scratch) + vkmem_fl(l.gsorted) + vkmem_fl(l.vis)
+    let b = vkmem_fl(l.inst) + vkmem_fl(l.scratch) + vkmem_fl(l.gsorted) + vkmem_fl(l.vis)
+    lay += b
+    if l.streamed { st += b }
     cap += l.cap
   }
+  vkmem_say_streamed(st)
   var str = 0
   if render3d_st.stream_all != null { for i in 0 .. len(render3d_st.stream_all) { str += len(render3d_st.stream_all[i].arena) * 4 } }
   let ter = vkmem_fl(render3d_st.ter_heights) + TERRAIN_RES * TERRAIN_RES * 3
@@ -108,3 +115,50 @@ function vkmem_fl(f: floats) -> int {
   return len(f) * 4
 }
 function vkmem_say_cpu(n: int, cap: int, lay: int, str: int, ter: int, water: int) -> void { print(`vkmem: cpu: {n} scatter layers (cap {cap} instances) {vkmem_mb(lay)} MB, stream arenas {vkmem_mb(str)} MB, terrain copies {vkmem_mb(ter)} MB, water cells {vkmem_mb(water)} MB`) }
+
+# the scatter layers' GPU buffers by use: drawn, cards, casters, levels, the GPU cull's
+function vkmem_layers(render3d_st: Render3dState) -> void {
+  var main = 0
+  var imp = 0
+  var sh = 0
+  var lod = 0
+  var gc = 0
+  var fog = 0
+  for i in 0 .. len(render3d_st.sc_layers) {
+    let l = render3d_st.sc_layers[i]
+    main += vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.buf);  imp += vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.imp_buf);  sh += vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.sh_buf)
+    fog += vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.fog_buf)
+    if l.lod_buf != null { for k in 0 .. len(l.lod_buf) { lod += vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.lod_buf[k]) } }
+    gc += vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.g_src) + vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.g_dst) + vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.g_cmds) + vkmem_buf(render3d_st, l.g_counts)
+  }
+  vkmem_say_layers(main, imp, sh, lod, gc, fog)
+}
+function vkmem_buf(render3d_st: Render3dState, b: int) -> int {
+  if b <= 0 or b >= len(render3d_st.gvk_buf_size) { return 0 }
+  return render3d_st.gvk_buf_size[b]
+}
+function vkmem_say_layers(main: int, imp: int, sh: int, lod: int, gc: int, fog: int) -> void { print(`vkmem: scatter buffers: drawn {vkmem_mb(main)} MB, cards {vkmem_mb(imp)} MB, whole-map casters {vkmem_mb(sh)} MB, levels {vkmem_mb(lod)} MB, GPU cull {vkmem_mb(gc)} MB, fog casters {vkmem_mb(fog)} MB`) }
+
+# the largest buffer allocations: their size and owner, and the buffer handle that holds each
+@alloc_ok("a report printed once, under R3D_VKMEM")
+function vkmem_big_bufs(render3d_st: Render3dState) -> void {
+  let n = len(render3d_st.gvk_al_len)
+  let done = words(n)
+  for i in 0 .. n { done[i] = 0 }
+  for r in 0 .. 15 {
+    var best = -1
+    var bn = 0
+    for a in 1 .. n {
+      if done[a] != 0 or (render3d_st.gvk_al_tag[a] & 2) != 0 { continue }
+      if render3d_st.gvk_al_len[a] > bn { bn = render3d_st.gvk_al_len[a];  best = a }
+    }
+    if best < 0 { return }
+    done[best] = 1
+    var holder = -1
+    for b in 1 .. len(render3d_st.gvk_buf_mem) { if int(render3d_st.gvk_buf_mem[b]) == best { holder = b } }
+    vkmem_say_buf(vkmem_name(render3d_st.gvk_al_tag[best] / 4), bn, holder)
+  }
+}
+function vkmem_say_buf(name: string, n: int, holder: int) -> void { print(`vkmem:   buffer {n / 1024} KB  handle {holder}  {name}`) }
+function vkmem_say_ring(peak: int, half: int) -> void { print(`vkmem: uniform ring: {peak / 1024} KB used at most of a frame, {half / 1048576} MB per half`) }
+function vkmem_say_streamed(n: int) -> void { print(`vkmem: cpu: of which the streamed layers {vkmem_mb(n)} MB`) }