diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 887d2e0..457079f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ The DM presses **⚔ Start fight** in the lobby. Every player with a character j
 
 The bar shows the order, the round and whose turn it is (the token pulses on the map). The DM can overwrite every number, reroll, remove entries, step **◀ / Next turn ▶** and **End fight**. Hidden NPCs are not shown to players. Fight start, joins and the end are logged in the chat feed.
 
+The top of the lobby is one compact row: small buttons on the left (start fight, previous/next turn, end fight, ▾ to expand players and difficulty), the player bar – replaced by a scrollable initiative bar during a fight – and the lobby settings button. Players only see the name of whoever's turn it is; NPC names are not sent to players otherwise, and token names show on hover, selection or turn. The sheet and the chat can be resized by dragging the thin lines next to them (remembered per browser).
+
 ### Maps, tokens and line of sight
 
 - **Maps tab** (top navigation): all your maps with preview. Upload PNG, JPEG or WebP (up to 12 MB, 30 maps each; the server checks and re-encodes every image as WebP, max 4096 px per side, into `db/maps/`). **Edit** opens the map editor, **Share** gives other users access by username (like characters: they can put the map on their own table or **Copy** it, but not change it), **Duplicate** copies a map.
diff --git a/backend/app/combat.py b/backend/app/combat.py
index ff81ed9..93a4f2e 100644
--- a/backend/app/combat.py
+++ b/backend/app/combat.py
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ def install(api, db, current_user, lobby_for, dm_only, hub, event, load_rules):
                     continue
                 if toks[e["token"]] and not is_dm:
                     continue
+            if e["kind"] == "npc" and not is_dm and e["id"] != c.get("current"):
+                e = {**e, "name": ""}  # players only learn an NPC's name when it is its turn
             out.append({k: e[k] for k in ("id", "kind", "name", "init", "base", "roll") if k in e} | {k: e[k] for k in ("user", "token") if k in e})
         cur = c.get("current")
         return {"round": c["round"], "current": cur if any(e["id"] == cur for e in out) else None, "entries": out}
diff --git a/backend/app/maps.py b/backend/app/maps.py
index 86151c9..8530b3c 100644
--- a/backend/app/maps.py
+++ b/backend/app/maps.py
@@ -352,6 +352,13 @@ def install(api, db, current_user, lobby_for, dm_only, hub, event, store_dir: Pa
                               LEFT JOIN characters c ON c.id = m.character_id
                               WHERE t.lobby_id=? ORDER BY t.rowid""", (lobby["id"],)).fetchall()
         full = ctx["viewer"] is None
+        turn_tok = ""  # players only learn an NPC's name while it is that NPC's turn
+        try:
+            cb = json.loads(lobby["combat"]) if lobby["combat"] else None
+            if cb:
+                turn_tok = next((e.get("token", "") for e in cb["entries"] if e["id"] == cb.get("current")), "")
+        except (ValueError, KeyError, TypeError):
+            pass
         out = []
         for r in rows:
             player = r["user_id"] is not None
@@ -367,6 +374,8 @@ def install(api, db, current_user, lobby_for, dm_only, hub, event, store_dir: Pa
                     name = (json.loads(r["data"]).get("name") if r["data"] else "") or r["username"]
                 except ValueError:
                     name = r["username"]
+            if not player and not full and r["id"] != turn_tok:
+                name = ""
             pt = ""
             src = r["data"] if player else r["ndata"]
             if src:
diff --git a/frontend/src/Lobbies.jsx b/frontend/src/Lobbies.jsx
index 3e3de12..18ef5ba 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Lobbies.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/Lobbies.jsx
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ function DiceTray({ rolls }) {
 }
 
 // ---- character bar: one card per player, later also for initiative and enemies
-function CharBar({ lobby, sel, onSel, settings }) {
+function CharBar({ lobby, sel, onSel }) {
   return (
     <div className="charbar" role="list">
       <div role="listitem" className={`pcard dmcard${lobby.dm_online ? '' : ' off'}`} title={`Dungeon master${lobby.dm_online ? ' (online)' : ' (offline)'}`}>
@@ -448,38 +448,51 @@ function CharBar({ lobby, sel, onSel, settings }) {
         )
       })}
       {lobby.members.length === 0 && <span className="muted small">Nobody has joined yet – share the join code (⚙ Lobby).</span>}
-      {settings}
     </div>
   )
 }
 
-// ---- initiative tracker: the DM starts a fight, players join automatically, NPCs are added from the token menu
-function InitiativeBar({ lobby, onOp, onStart, onEnd, onPick }) {
+// Drag handle that resizes a panel. Reports the new size through onChange, keeps it within min/max. dir = 1: dragging right grows, -1: shrinks.
+function Splitter({ value, onChange, min, max, dir = 1, className = '', label }) {
+  const down = (e) => {
+    e.preventDefault()
+    const x0 = e.clientX, v0 = value
+    document.body.classList.add('resizing')
+    const mv = (ev) => onChange(Math.round(Math.min(max, Math.max(min, v0 + dir * (ev.clientX - x0)))))
+    const up = () => { document.body.classList.remove('resizing'); window.removeEventListener('pointermove', mv); window.removeEventListener('pointerup', up) }
+    window.addEventListener('pointermove', mv); window.addEventListener('pointerup', up)
+  }
+  return <div className={`splitter ${className}`} role="separator" aria-orientation="vertical" aria-label={label} title={`${label} (drag, double click to reset)`} onPointerDown={down} />
+}
+
+// ---- initiative tracker: compact cards (portrait + number). Players only see the name of whoever's turn it is.
+function InitiativeCards({ lobby, tokens, onOp, onPick }) {
   const c = lobby.combat, dm = lobby.is_dm
-  if (!c) return dm ? <div className="fightrow"><button className="ghost" onClick={onStart}>⚔ Start fight</button></div> : null
+  const cardPic = (e) => {
+    if (e.kind === 'player') { const m = lobby.members.find((x) => x.username === e.user); return m?.character?.portrait ? `/api/lobbies/${lobby.id}/portrait/${encodeURIComponent(e.user)}?v=${m.character.portrait}` : null }
+    const t = tokens.find((x) => x.id === e.token)
+    return t?.portrait ? `/api/lobbies/${lobby.id}/token-portrait/${t.id}?v=${t.portrait}` : null
+  }
   const missing = dm ? lobby.members.filter((m) => m.character && !c.entries.some((e) => e.user === m.username)) : []
   return (
-    <div className="initbar" role="list" aria-label="Initiative order">
-      <span className="initround"><b>Round {c.round}</b></span>
-      {c.entries.map((e) => (
-        <div key={e.id} role="listitem" className={`initcard ${e.kind}${c.current === e.id ? ' cur' : ''}`} onClick={() => onPick(e)}>
-          {dm
-            ? <input type="number" className="modin" defaultValue={e.init} key={`${e.id}:${e.init}`} aria-label={`Initiative of ${e.name}`} title={`d20 ${e.roll} + ${e.base}. Click to overwrite.`}
-              onClick={(ev) => ev.stopPropagation()} onBlur={(ev) => ev.target.value !== String(e.init) && onOp({ op: 'init', id: e.id, value: ev.target.value })} onKeyDown={(ev) => ev.key === 'Enter' && ev.currentTarget.blur()} />
-            : <span className="initnum">{e.init}</span>}
-          <b title={e.name}>{e.name}</b>
-          {dm && <button className="linklike" onClick={(ev) => { ev.stopPropagation(); onOp({ op: 'reroll', id: e.id }) }} title="Roll again" aria-label={`Reroll ${e.name}`}>🎲</button>}
-          {dm && <button className="linklike" onClick={(ev) => { ev.stopPropagation(); onOp({ op: 'remove', id: e.id }) }} title="Remove from the fight" aria-label={`Remove ${e.name}`}>×</button>}
-        </div>
-      ))}
+    <div className="initcards" role="list" aria-label="Initiative order">
+      <span className="initround" title="Round"><b>R{c.round}</b></span>
+      {c.entries.map((e) => {
+        const cur = c.current === e.id, pic = cardPic(e), showName = dm || cur
+        return (
+          <div key={e.id} role="listitem" className={`initcard ${e.kind}${cur ? ' cur' : ''}`} onClick={() => onPick(e)} title={showName ? `${e.name}: d20 ${e.roll} + ${e.base}` : 'Initiative'}>
+            <span className="initpic">{pic ? <img src={pic} alt="" /> : (e.name || '?').slice(0, 1).toUpperCase()}</span>
+            {dm
+              ? <input type="number" className="modin" defaultValue={e.init} key={`${e.id}:${e.init}`} aria-label={`Initiative of ${e.name}`}
+                onClick={(ev) => ev.stopPropagation()} onBlur={(ev) => ev.target.value !== String(e.init) && onOp({ op: 'init', id: e.id, value: ev.target.value })} onKeyDown={(ev) => ev.key === 'Enter' && ev.currentTarget.blur()} />
+              : <span className="initnum">{e.init}</span>}
+            {showName && <b className="initname">{e.name}</b>}
+            {dm && <button className="linklike" onClick={(ev) => { ev.stopPropagation(); onOp({ op: 'reroll', id: e.id }) }} title="Roll again" aria-label={`Reroll ${e.name}`}>🎲</button>}
+            {dm && <button className="linklike" onClick={(ev) => { ev.stopPropagation(); onOp({ op: 'remove', id: e.id }) }} title="Remove from the fight" aria-label={`Remove ${e.name}`}>×</button>}
+          </div>
+        )
+      })}
       {missing.map((m) => <button key={m.username} className="ghost small" onClick={() => onOp({ op: 'add', user: m.username })}>+ {m.character.name}</button>)}
-      {dm && (
-        <span className="initctl">
-          <button className="ghost" onClick={() => onOp({ op: 'prev' })} aria-label="Previous turn">◀</button>
-          <button className="on" onClick={() => onOp({ op: 'next' })}>Next turn ▶</button>
-          <button className="ghost danger" onClick={onEnd}>End fight</button>
-        </span>
-      )}
     </div>
   )
 }
@@ -716,7 +729,15 @@ function LobbyView({ id, rules, user }) {
     setMapState((m) => ({ ...m, tokens: m.tokens.map((t) => (t.id === tid ? { ...t, ...p } : t)) }))
     return send(`/api/lobbies/${id}/tokens/${tid}`, 'PUT', p).catch(() => null)
   }
+  const defSheet = () => Math.round(Math.min(800, Math.max(480, window.innerWidth * 0.42)))
+  const [sheetW, setSheetW] = useState(() => Number(store('aw_sheetw')) || defSheet())
+  const [chatW, setChatW] = useState(() => Number(store('aw_chatw')) || 380)
+  useEffect(() => { document.documentElement.style.setProperty('--chatw', `${chatW}px`); store('aw_chatw', String(chatW)) }, [chatW])
+  useEffect(() => () => document.documentElement.style.removeProperty('--chatw'), [])
+  useEffect(() => { store('aw_sheetw', String(sheetW)) }, [sheetW])
   const [menu, setMenu] = useState(null) // right click menu on a token
+  const [topOpen, setTopOpen] = useState(() => store('aw_topopen') === '1') // difficulty and player bar during a fight
+  const toggleTop = () => { setTopOpen((v) => { store('aw_topopen', v ? '0' : '1'); return !v }) }
   const combatOp = (b) => act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/combat`, 'PUT', b)
   const [npcPick, setNpcPick] = useState(false)
   const addNpcToken = (n) => {
@@ -768,7 +789,7 @@ function LobbyView({ id, rules, user }) {
       {err && <p className="warn">{err}</p>}
       {info && <p className="small">{info}</p>}
 
-      <div className={`lobbygrid${sheetOpen ? '' : ' nosheet'}`}>
+      <div className={`lobbygrid${sheetOpen ? '' : ' nosheet'}`} style={{ '--sheetw': `${sheetW}px` }}>
         {sheetOpen && (
           <div className="sheetcol">
             <div className="sheetbar">
@@ -788,14 +809,33 @@ function LobbyView({ id, rules, user }) {
           </div>
         )}
 
+        {sheetOpen && <Splitter value={sheetW} onChange={setSheetW} min={320} max={Math.max(400, window.innerWidth - chatW - 360)} label="Resize the sheet" className="sheetsplit" />}
         <div className="playarea">
           {!sheetOpen && <button className="ghost showsheet" onClick={() => { setSheetOpen(true); store('aw_sheetopen', '1') }}>▶ Sheet</button>}
-          <CharBar lobby={lobby} sel={cur?.username} onSel={(u) => { setSel(u); setMapSel(null); setLeftTab('sheet') }}
-            settings={<button className="ghost lobbycfg" title="Lobby settings" onClick={() => (lobby.is_dm ? (setSheetOpen(true), setLeftTab('lobby')) : setShowSettings((v) => !v))} aria-expanded={lobby.is_dm ? sheetOpen && leftTab === 'lobby' : showSettings}>⚙ {lobby.name}</button>} />
-          <InitiativeBar lobby={lobby} onOp={combatOp} onStart={() => act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/combat`, 'POST')}
-            onEnd={() => window.confirm('End the fight?') && act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/combat`, 'DELETE')}
-            onPick={(e) => { if (e.kind === 'player') { setSel(e.user); setMapSel(null); setLeftTab('sheet') } else if (lobby.is_dm) { setMapSel(e.token); setLeftTab('sheet') } }} />
-          <DifficultyBar lobby={lobby} onSet={(b) => act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/difficulty`, 'PUT', b)} />
+          <div className="topbar">
+            <div className="topctl" role="group" aria-label="Fight controls">
+              {lobby.is_dm && !lobby.combat && <button className="ghost mini wide" onClick={() => act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/combat`, 'POST')} title="Start a fight">⚔</button>}
+              {lobby.is_dm && lobby.combat && <>
+                <button className="ghost mini" onClick={() => combatOp({ op: 'prev' })} title="Previous turn" aria-label="Previous turn">◀</button>
+                <button className="on mini" onClick={() => combatOp({ op: 'next' })} title="Next turn" aria-label="Next turn">▶</button>
+                <button className="ghost mini danger" onClick={() => window.confirm('End the fight?') && act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/combat`, 'DELETE')} title="End the fight" aria-label="End the fight">■</button>
+              </>}
+              <button className={`mini ${topOpen ? 'on' : 'ghost'}`} onClick={toggleTop} aria-expanded={topOpen} title="Players, difficulty and details">{topOpen ? '▴' : '▾'}</button>
+            </div>
+            <div className="topscroll">
+              {lobby.combat
+                ? <InitiativeCards lobby={lobby} tokens={mapState.tokens} onOp={combatOp}
+                  onPick={(e) => { if (e.kind === 'player') { setSel(e.user); setMapSel(null); setLeftTab('sheet') } else if (lobby.is_dm) { setMapSel(e.token); setLeftTab('sheet') } }} />
+                : <CharBar lobby={lobby} sel={cur?.username} onSel={(u) => { setSel(u); setMapSel(null); setLeftTab('sheet') }} />}
+            </div>
+            <button className="ghost lobbycfg" title="Lobby settings" onClick={() => (lobby.is_dm ? (setSheetOpen(true), setLeftTab('lobby')) : setShowSettings((v) => !v))} aria-expanded={lobby.is_dm ? sheetOpen && leftTab === 'lobby' : showSettings}>⚙ {lobby.name}</button>
+          </div>
+          {topOpen && (
+            <div className="topmore">
+              {lobby.combat && <CharBar lobby={lobby} sel={cur?.username} onSel={(u) => { setSel(u); setMapSel(null); setLeftTab('sheet') }} />}
+              <DifficultyBar lobby={lobby} onSet={(b) => act(`/api/lobbies/${id}/difficulty`, 'PUT', b)} />
+            </div>
+          )}
           <div className="table">
             {showSettings && !lobby.is_dm && <Settings lobby={lobby} id={id} mine={mine} act={act} setInfo={setInfo} onClose={() => setShowSettings(false)} />}
             {mapState.map && (() => {
@@ -847,6 +887,7 @@ function LobbyView({ id, rules, user }) {
         </div>
 
         <aside className="lobbychat card" aria-label="Chat">
+          <Splitter value={chatW} onChange={setChatW} min={240} max={Math.max(300, Math.min(900, window.innerWidth - 700))} dir={-1} label="Resize the chat" className="chatsplit" />
           <Chat id={id} me={user} people={people} msgs={feed.msgs} poll={feed.poll} to={dest} setTo={setTo} />
         </aside>
       </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles.css b/frontend/src/styles.css
index 6f8fe1c..377c113 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles.css
@@ -527,3 +527,40 @@ label.chk input[type=checkbox] { width: auto; margin: 0; }
 .radialbtn .ri { font-size: 1.2rem; } .radialbtn .rl { font-size: .55rem; margin-top: 2px; }
 .initcard .modin { width: 2.8rem; padding: .1rem .25rem; min-height: 0; }
 .initcard { padding: .1rem .4rem; }
+
+/* compact top area of the lobby */
+.topbar { display: flex; align-items: stretch; gap: .4rem; }
+.topctl { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 3px; align-content: center; }
+.topctl button.mini { padding: 0; min-width: 28px; height: 26px; font-size: .8rem; line-height: 1; }
+.topctl button.mini.wide { grid-column: span 1; }
+.topscroll { flex: 1; min-width: 0; overflow-x: auto; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; scrollbar-width: thin; }
+.topscroll .charbar, .topscroll .initcards { flex-wrap: nowrap; width: max-content; }
+.topbar .lobbycfg { margin-left: 0; align-self: center; flex: none; max-width: 11rem; }
+.topmore { display: grid; gap: .5rem; padding: .4rem; border: 1px solid var(--line); border-radius: var(--radius); background: var(--panel); }
+.topmore .charbar { flex-wrap: wrap; }
+.topbar + .topmore, .topbar + .diffbar { margin-top: -.2rem; }
+.initcards { display: flex; gap: .35rem; align-items: center; }
+.initcard { padding: .15rem .45rem .15rem .15rem; border-radius: 999px; border-left-width: 2px; flex: none; }
+.initcard.player { border-left: 2px solid #4f93e6; border-color: #4f93e6; } .initcard.npc { border-left: 2px solid #c0392b; border-color: #c0392b; }
+.initcard.cur { border-color: var(--accent, gold); }
+.initpic { width: 30px; height: 30px; border-radius: 50%; overflow: hidden; display: grid; place-items: center; background: var(--panel); font-weight: 700; flex: none; }
+.initpic img { width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; }
+.initname { white-space: nowrap; }
+.initround { padding: 0 .4rem; flex: none; }
+.pcard { flex: none; }
+.playarea { gap: .4rem; }
+.maptoken em { display: none; }
+.maptoken:hover em, .maptoken.sel em, .maptoken.turn em { display: block; }
+
+/* resizing */
+.splitter { width: 10px; cursor: col-resize; align-self: stretch; position: relative; touch-action: none; }
+.splitter::after { content: ''; position: absolute; left: 4px; top: 0; bottom: 0; width: 2px; border-radius: 2px; background: var(--line); transition: background .15s; }
+.splitter:hover::after, body.resizing .splitter::after { background: var(--accent, gold); }
+body.resizing { cursor: col-resize; user-select: none; }
+.lobbygrid:not(.nosheet) { grid-template-columns: var(--sheetw) 10px minmax(0, 1fr); gap: .3rem; }
+.chatsplit { position: absolute; left: -5px; top: 0; bottom: 0; z-index: 12; }
+.chatsplit::after { left: 4px; }
+@media (max-width: 1100px) {
+  .lobbygrid, .lobbygrid:not(.nosheet) { grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr); }
+  .sheetsplit, .chatsplit { display: none; }
+}