diff --git a/.claude/skills/titan-close/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/titan-close/SKILL.md
index 299bc447..4fa1eff7 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/titan-close/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/titan-close/SKILL.md
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ Compare final metrics against `titan-state.json` baseline:
 
 ---
 
-## Step 5 — Compile the issue tracker
+## Step 5 — Compile the issue tracker and open GitHub issues
 
 Read `.codegraph/titan/issues.ndjson`. Each line is a JSON object:
 
@@ -230,6 +230,47 @@ Group issues by category and severity. Summarize:
 - **Process notes:** suggestions for improving the Titan workflow
 - **Codebase observations:** structural concerns beyond what the audit covered
 
+### 5b. Open GitHub issues
+
+**Pre-check:** Verify `gh` is available and authenticated before attempting issue creation:
+```bash
+gh auth status 2>&1 || echo "GH_UNAVAILABLE"
+```
+If `GH_UNAVAILABLE`, skip issue creation entirely and note in the report: "GitHub issues were not created — `gh` CLI is not available or not authenticated. Create them manually from the Issues section below."
+
+For each issue with severity `bug` or `limitation`, create a GitHub issue using `gh`:
+
+```bash
+BODY=$(mktemp)
+cat > "$BODY" <<'ISSUE_BODY'
+## Context
+Discovered during Titan audit (phase: <phase>, date: <timestamp>).
+
+## Description
+<description>
+
+## Additional Context
+<context field, if present>
+
+## Source
+- **Titan phase:** <phase>
+- **Severity:** <severity>
+- **Category:** <category>
+ISSUE_BODY
+gh issue create --title "<category>: <short description>" --body-file "$BODY" --label "titan-audit"
+rm -f "$BODY"
+```
+
+Using `--body-file` with a temp file avoids quoting/expansion issues that can arise when issue descriptions contain backticks, `$()` sequences, or literal `EOF` strings.
+
+**Rules for issue creation:**
+- **Only open issues for `bug` and `limitation` severity.** Suggestions and observations go in the report only — they are not actionable enough for standalone issues.
+- **Check for duplicates first:** Run `gh issue list --search "<short description>" --state open --limit 5` before creating. If a matching open issue exists, skip it and note "existing issue #N" in the report.
+- **Label:** Use `titan-audit` label. If the label doesn't exist, create it: `gh label create titan-audit --description "Issues discovered during Titan audit" --color "d4c5f9" 2>/dev/null || true`
+- **Record each created issue number** for inclusion in the report's Issues section.
+
+For `suggestion` severity entries and entries with `category: "codebase"`, include them in the report's Issues section but do NOT create GitHub issues.
+
 ---
 
 ## Step 6 — Compile the gate log
@@ -244,6 +285,14 @@ Read `.codegraph/titan/gate-log.ndjson`. Summarize:
 
 ## Step 7 — Generate the report
 
+### Record CLOSE completion timestamp
+
+Before writing the report, record `phaseTimestamps.close.completedAt` so the Pipeline Timeline has accurate data for the CLOSE row. (titan-run also records this after titan-close returns as a safety backstop, but by then the report is already written.)
+
+```bash
+node -e "const fs=require('fs');const s=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json','utf8'));s.phaseTimestamps=s.phaseTimestamps||{};s.phaseTimestamps['close']=s.phaseTimestamps['close']||{};s.phaseTimestamps['close'].completedAt=new Date().toISOString();fs.writeFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json',JSON.stringify(s,null,2));"
+```
+
 ### Report path
 
 ```
@@ -283,13 +332,21 @@ Write the report as Markdown:
 
 ## Pipeline Timeline
 
-| Phase | Started | Completed | Duration |
-|-------|---------|-----------|----------|
-| RECON | <from state> | <from state> | — |
-| GAUNTLET | — | — | — |
-| SYNC | — | — | — |
-| GATE (runs) | — | — | — |
-| CLOSE | <now> | <now> | — |
+Read `titan-state.json → phaseTimestamps` for real wall-clock data. If `phaseTimestamps` exists, use the recorded ISO 8601 timestamps to compute durations. If it does not exist (older pipeline run), derive timing from git commit timestamps as a fallback — **never invent or guess timestamps.**
+
+**Duration computation:** For each phase with `startedAt` and `completedAt`, compute duration as the difference in minutes/hours. For forge, also note the first and last commit timestamps from `git log`.
+
+| Phase | Duration | Notes |
+|-------|----------|-------|
+| RECON | <computed from phaseTimestamps.recon> | — |
+| GAUNTLET | <computed from phaseTimestamps.gauntlet> | <iterations count if resuming> |
+| SYNC | <computed from phaseTimestamps.sync> | — |
+| FORGE | <computed from phaseTimestamps.forge> | <commit count>, first at <time>, last at <time> |
+| GATE | across forge | <total runs> inline with forge commits |
+| CLOSE | <computed from phaseTimestamps.close> | — |
+| **Total** | <sum of all phases> | — |
+
+**If `phaseTimestamps` is missing:** Fall back to git log timestamps. Use the earliest and latest commit timestamps from `git log main..HEAD --format="%ai"` to bound the forge phase. For analysis phases (recon, gauntlet, sync), use `titan-state.json → initialized` and `lastUpdated` as rough bounds. Mark the durations as "~approximate" in the table.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/.claude/skills/titan-recon/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/titan-recon/SKILL.md
index 5dab238f..2544c611 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/titan-recon/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/titan-recon/SKILL.md
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ Write `.codegraph/titan/GLOBAL_ARCH.md`:
 
 ## Step 10 — Propose work batches
 
-Decompose the priority queue into **work batches** of ~5-15 files each:
+Decompose the priority queue into **work batches** of **at most 5 files each**:
+- **Hard limit: 5 files per batch.** If a domain has more than 5 files, split it into multiple batches (e.g., "domain-parser-1", "domain-parser-2"). This keeps each gauntlet iteration focused and prevents context overload in sub-agents.
 - Stay within a single domain where possible
 - Group tightly-coupled files together (from communities)
 - Order by priority: highest-risk domains first
@@ -214,6 +215,14 @@ Create `.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json` — the single source of truth for th
 mkdir -p .codegraph/titan
 ```
 
+**Important:** Before writing, check if `titan-state.json` already exists (the orchestrator may have written `phaseTimestamps.recon.startedAt` before dispatching this sub-agent). If it does, read the existing `phaseTimestamps` and merge them into the new state object so the start timestamp is preserved:
+
+```bash
+node -e "const fs=require('fs');const p='.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json';let existing={};try{existing=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(p,'utf8'));}catch{}console.log(JSON.stringify(existing.phaseTimestamps||{}));"
+```
+
+Include the preserved `phaseTimestamps` in the state file below.
+
 ```json
 {
   "version": 1,
@@ -281,6 +290,7 @@ mkdir -p .codegraph/titan
   },
   "hotFiles": ["<top 30>"],
   "tangledDirs": ["<cohesion < 0.3>"],
+  "phaseTimestamps": "<merged from existing file — see above>",
   "fileAudits": {},
   "progress": {
     "totalFiles": 0,
diff --git a/.claude/skills/titan-run/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/titan-run/SKILL.md
index fefd96d9..c684afe0 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/titan-run/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/titan-run/SKILL.md
@@ -40,6 +40,24 @@ You are the **orchestrator** for the full Titan Paradigm pipeline. Your job is t
    - If state exists and `--start-from` not specified, ask user: "Existing Titan state found (phase: `<currentPhase>`). Resume from current state, or start fresh with `/titan-reset` first?"
    - If `--yes` is set, resume automatically.
 
+   **Initialize the phase timestamps helper.** Throughout the pipeline, you will record wall-clock timestamps for each phase. Use this helper to write them into `titan-state.json`:
+
+   ```bash
+   # Record phase start (safe for resume — only sets startedAt if not already present):
+   node -e "const fs=require('fs');const s=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json','utf8'));s.phaseTimestamps=s.phaseTimestamps||{};s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>']=s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>']||{};if(!s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>'].startedAt){s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>'].startedAt=new Date().toISOString();fs.writeFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json',JSON.stringify(s,null,2));}"
+
+   # Record phase completion:
+   node -e "const fs=require('fs');const s=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json','utf8'));s.phaseTimestamps=s.phaseTimestamps||{};s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>']=s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>']||{};s.phaseTimestamps['<PHASE>'].completedAt=new Date().toISOString();fs.writeFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json',JSON.stringify(s,null,2));"
+   ```
+
+   Replace `<PHASE>` with `recon`, `gauntlet`, `sync`, `forge`, or `close`. **Run the start command immediately before dispatching each phase's first sub-agent, and the completion command immediately after post-phase validation passes.** If resuming a phase (e.g., gauntlet loop iteration 2+), do NOT overwrite `startedAt` — only set it if it doesn't already exist.
+
+   **Timestamp validation:** After recording `completedAt` for any phase, verify `startedAt < completedAt`:
+   ```bash
+   node -e "const s=JSON.parse(require('fs').readFileSync('.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json','utf8'));const p=s.phaseTimestamps?.['<PHASE>'];if(p?.startedAt&&p?.completedAt){const start=new Date(p.startedAt),end=new Date(p.completedAt);if(end<=start){console.log('WARNING: <PHASE> completedAt ('+p.completedAt+') is not after startedAt ('+p.startedAt+')');process.exit(0);}console.log('<PHASE> duration: '+((end-start)/60000).toFixed(1)+' min');}else{console.log('WARNING: <PHASE> missing startedAt or completedAt');}"
+   ```
+   If the check fails, log a warning but do not stop the pipeline — clock skew or immediate completion of short phases can cause this.
+
 4. **Sync with main** (once, before any sub-agent runs):
    ```bash
    git fetch origin main && git merge origin/main --no-edit
@@ -128,6 +146,17 @@ WARN-level V-checks from skipped phases are surfaced as prefixed warnings: "[ski
 
 ### 1a. Run Pre-Agent Gate (G1-G4)
 
+### 1a.1. Record phase start timestamp
+Record `phaseTimestamps.recon.startedAt` (only if not already set — it may exist from a prior crashed run).
+
+**Note:** On a fresh run, `titan-state.json` does not yet exist (titan-recon creates it in Step 12). Use this safe variant that creates a minimal stub if the file is missing:
+
+```bash
+node -e "const fs=require('fs');const p='.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json';let s;try{s=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(p,'utf8'));}catch{fs.mkdirSync('.codegraph/titan',{recursive:true});s={};}s.phaseTimestamps=s.phaseTimestamps||{};s.phaseTimestamps['recon']=s.phaseTimestamps['recon']||{};if(!s.phaseTimestamps['recon'].startedAt){s.phaseTimestamps['recon'].startedAt=new Date().toISOString();fs.writeFileSync(p,JSON.stringify(s,null,2));}"
+```
+
+This ensures `recon.startedAt` is recorded even on first-time runs. titan-recon Step 12 merges any existing `phaseTimestamps` into the full state file it writes.
+
 ### 1b. Dispatch sub-agent
 
 Use the **Agent tool** to spawn a sub-agent:
@@ -177,11 +206,14 @@ If `NO_SNAPSHOT` → **WARN** (not fatal, but note it: "No baseline snapshot —
 **V4. Cross-check counts:**
 - `titan-state.json → stats.totalFiles` should roughly match the number of targets across all batches (batches are subsets of files, so `sum(batch.files.length)` should be ≤ `totalFiles`)
 - `priorityQueue.length` should be > 0 and ≤ `totalNodes`
+- **Batch size check:** Every batch must have ≤ 5 files. If any batch exceeds 5, **WARN**: "Batch <id> has <N> files (max 5). Large batches cause context overload in gauntlet sub-agents."
 
 If wildly inconsistent (e.g., 0 batches but 500 nodes) → **WARN** with details.
 
 Print: `RECON validated. Domains: <count>, Batches: <count>, Priority targets: <count>, Quality score: <score>`
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.recon.completedAt`.
+
 ---
 
 ## Step 2 — GAUNTLET (loop)
@@ -190,6 +222,8 @@ Print: `RECON validated. Domains: <count>, Batches: <count>, Priority targets: <
 
 ### 2a. Pre-loop check
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.gauntlet.startedAt` (only if not already set — gauntlet may be resuming).
+
 Read `.codegraph/titan/gauntlet-summary.json` if it exists:
 - If `"complete": true` → run gauntlet post-validation (2d) and skip loop if it passes
 - Otherwise, count completed batches from `titan-state.json` for progress tracking
@@ -298,6 +332,8 @@ If mismatched → **WARN** with details (not fatal — the NDJSON is the source
 
 Print: `GAUNTLET validated. Audited: <N>/<M> targets. Pass: <N>, Warn: <N>, Fail: <N>, Decompose: <N>. NDJSON integrity: <valid>/<total> lines OK.`
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.gauntlet.completedAt`.
+
 ---
 
 ## Step 3 — SYNC
@@ -306,6 +342,9 @@ Print: `GAUNTLET validated. Audited: <N>/<M> targets. Pass: <N>, Warn: <N>, Fail
 
 ### 3a. Run Pre-Agent Gate (G1-G4)
 
+### 3a.1. Record phase start timestamp
+Record `phaseTimestamps.sync.startedAt`.
+
 ### 3b. Dispatch sub-agent
 
 ```
@@ -337,6 +376,8 @@ For entries with `dependencies` arrays, verify that each dependency phase number
 
 Print: `SYNC validated. Execution phases: <N>, Total targets: <N>, Estimated commits: <N>.`
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.sync.completedAt`.
+
 ---
 
 ## Step 3.5 — Pre-forge: Architectural Snapshot + Human Checkpoint
@@ -453,6 +494,8 @@ Once the user confirms (or `--yes` was set), `autoConfirm` is already `true` (se
 
 ### 4a. Pre-loop check
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.forge.startedAt` (only if not already set — forge may be resuming).
+
 Read `.codegraph/titan/sync.json` → count total phases in `executionOrder`.
 Read `.codegraph/titan/titan-state.json` → check `execution.completedPhases` (may not exist yet if forge hasn't started).
 
@@ -575,6 +618,8 @@ If `.codegraph/titan/gate-log.ndjson` exists:
 
 Print forge summary.
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.forge.completedAt`.
+
 ---
 
 ## Step 5 — CLOSE (report + PRs)
@@ -583,6 +628,9 @@ After forge completes, dispatch `/titan-close` to produce the final report with
 
 ### 5a. Run Pre-Agent Gate (G1-G4)
 
+### 5a.1. Record phase start timestamp
+Record `phaseTimestamps.close.startedAt`.
+
 ### 5b. Dispatch sub-agent
 
 ```
@@ -598,6 +646,8 @@ After the agent returns, verify:
 
 If the agent created PRs, print the PR URLs.
 
+Record `phaseTimestamps.close.completedAt`.
+
 ---
 
 ## Error Handling