diff --git a/AutoMark/scripts/mods/AutoMark/mark/servo_skull_mark.lua b/AutoMark/scripts/mods/AutoMark/mark/servo_skull_mark.lua
index 9bc8d42..dc8111a 100644
--- a/AutoMark/scripts/mods/AutoMark/mark/servo_skull_mark.lua
+++ b/AutoMark/scripts/mods/AutoMark/mark/servo_skull_mark.lua
@@ -28,65 +28,61 @@ local Vector3_distance                  = Vector3.distance
 local HACK_TAG_NAME                     = "hacking_over_here_companion"
 local CANCEL_INTERVAL                   = 0.5
 
--- set_tag() for off-LOS units is silently rejected: as HOST, SmartTagSystem:set_tag() runs
--- _tagger_is_looking_at_target() (dot-0.75 aim cone + LOS sweep, from the game source) and
--- returns before creating the tag. Since we hold the full source of the accept-branch
--- (_generate_tag_id -> _create_tag_locally -> group limit check -> rpc to clients), the hook
--- below reproduces it verbatim, minus the look check, for our flagged auto-hack targets only.
+-- set_tag() for off-LOS targets is silently rejected: as HOST, SmartTagSystem:set_tag() runs
+-- _tagger_is_looking_at_target() (dot-0.75 aim cone + LOS sweep, from game source) and returns
+-- before creating the tag. Probes proved class-table hooks (CLASS registry, metatable,
+-- metatable.__index) never land on this instance's call path — so we rawset an instance-level
+-- shadow that beats every lookup chain. It replicates set_tag's host accept-branch
+-- (_generate_tag_id -> _create_tag_locally -> group limit -> rpc to clients) minus the gate.
 local function ensure_automark_tag_hook()
-    if mod.omni_hack_tag_hooked then
-        return
-    end
     local smart_tag_system = context.smart_tag_system
-    if not smart_tag_system then
+    if not smart_tag_system or mod.omni_hack_patched_sys == smart_tag_system then
         return
     end
-    local cls = getmetatable(smart_tag_system)
-    if type(cls) == "table" and rawget(cls, "set_tag") == nil then
-        cls = rawget(cls, "__index") or cls
+    local orig_set_tag = smart_tag_system.set_tag
+    if type(orig_set_tag) ~= "function" then
+        return
     end
-    if type(cls) == "table" and cls.set_tag ~= nil then
-        mod:hook(cls, "set_tag", function(previous_hook, self, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
-            mod.omni_hack_hook_count = (mod.omni_hack_hook_count or 0) + 1
-            if template_name == HACK_TAG_NAME and mod_settings.debug_mode and not mod.omni_hack_hook_fired then
-                mod.omni_hack_hook_fired = true
-                local ext = target_unit and self._unit_extension_data[target_unit]
-                mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG hook FIRE is_server=", tostring(self._is_server), " flagged=", tostring(ext and ext._automark_hack_order), " has_ext=", tostring(ext ~= nil), " target=", tostring(target_unit), " loc=", tostring(target_location))
-            end
-            if template_name == HACK_TAG_NAME and target_unit and self._is_server then
-                local target_extension = self._unit_extension_data[target_unit]
-                if target_extension and target_extension._automark_hack_order then
-                    local ok, err = pcall(function()
-                        local tag_id = self:_generate_tag_id()
-                        local tag = self:_create_tag_locally(tag_id, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
-                        self:_server_check_tag_group_limit(tagger_unit, tag:group())
-                        local template_name_id = NetworkLookup.smart_tag_templates[template_name]
-                        local tagger_game_object_id = Managers.state.unit_spawner:game_object_id(tagger_unit)
-                        local target_game_object_id = Managers.state.unit_spawner:game_object_id(target_unit)
-                        Managers.state.game_session:send_rpc_clients("rpc_set_smart_tag", tag_id, template_name_id, tagger_game_object_id, target_game_object_id, nil, target_location)
-                    end)
-                    if ok then
-                        return
-                    end
-                    if mod_settings.debug_mode and not mod.omni_hack_taghook_err_logged then
-                        mod.omni_hack_taghook_err_logged = true
-                        mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG tag-branch replication FAILED:", tostring(err))
-                    end
+    local patched = {}
+    patched.set_tag = function(self, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
+        if self ~= smart_tag_system then
+            return orig_set_tag(self, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
+        end
+        mod.omni_hack_hook_count = (mod.omni_hack_hook_count or 0) + 1
+        if template_name == HACK_TAG_NAME and target_unit and self._is_server and not patched.in_branch then
+            local target_extension = self._unit_extension_data[target_unit]
+            if target_extension and target_extension._automark_hack_order then
+                if mod_settings.debug_mode and not mod.omni_hack_hook_fired then
+                    mod.omni_hack_hook_fired = true
+                    mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG hook FIRE is_server=", tostring(self._is_server))
+                end
+                patched.in_branch = true
+                local ok, err = pcall(function()
+                    local tag_id = self:_generate_tag_id()
+                    local tag = self:_create_tag_locally(tag_id, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
+                    self:_server_check_tag_group_limit(tagger_unit, tag:group())
+                    local template_name_id = NetworkLookup.smart_tag_templates[template_name]
+                    local tagger_game_object_id = Managers.state.unit_spawner:game_object_id(tagger_unit)
+                    local target_game_object_id = Managers.state.unit_spawner:game_object_id(target_unit)
+                    Managers.state.game_session:send_rpc_clients("rpc_set_smart_tag", tag_id, template_name_id, tagger_game_object_id, target_game_object_id, nil, target_location)
+                end)
+                patched.in_branch = nil
+                if ok then
+                    return
+                end
+                if mod_settings.debug_mode and not mod.omni_hack_taghook_err_logged then
+                    mod.omni_hack_taghook_err_logged = true
+                    mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG tag-branch replication FAILED:", tostring(err))
                 end
             end
-            return previous_hook(self, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
-        end)
-        mod.omni_hack_tag_hooked = true
-        mod.omni_hack_hooked_ptr = tostring(cls.set_tag)
-        pcall(function()
-            cls.set_tag.omni_hook_marker = true
-        end)
-        if mod_settings.debug_mode then
-            mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG set_tag hook INSTALLED cls_ptr=", tostring(cls.set_tag), " sys_ptr=", tostring(smart_tag_system.set_tag), " same_sys_obj=", tostring(smart_tag_system == context.smart_tag_system))
         end
-    elseif mod_settings.debug_mode and not mod.omni_hack_taghook_fail_logged then
-        mod.omni_hack_taghook_fail_logged = true
-        mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG set_tag hook FAILED to locate class, mt=", tostring(cls))
+        return orig_set_tag(self, template_name, tagger_unit, target_unit, target_location)
+    end
+    rawset(smart_tag_system, "set_tag", patched.set_tag)
+    patched.set_tag.omni_hook_marker = true
+    mod.omni_hack_patched_sys = smart_tag_system
+    if mod_settings.debug_mode then
+        mod:diag("OMNI-HACK-DIAG set_tag instance-shadow INSTALLED marker=", tostring(rawget(smart_tag_system, "set_tag") == patched.set_tag))
     end
 end
 
@@ -367,7 +363,7 @@ function mod:auto_hack(dt, t, fixed_frame)
         if hack_check.ttl <= 0 then
             if mod_settings.debug_mode then
                 local smart_tag_system = context.smart_tag_system
-                mod:diag(string.format("OMNI-HACK-DIAG tagcheck %s alive=%s tag_applied=%s skull_hacking=%s hooked=%s hookcalls=%s", tostring(hack_check.n), tostring(HEALTH_ALIVE[hack_check.unit] == true), tostring(smart_tag_system and smart_tag_system:unit_tag(hack_check.unit) ~= nil), tostring(mod:is_servo_skull_hacking()), tostring(mod.omni_hack_tag_hooked), tostring(mod.omni_hack_hook_count)))
+                mod:diag(string.format("OMNI-HACK-DIAG tagcheck %s alive=%s tag_applied=%s skull_hacking=%s hooked=%s hookcalls=%s", tostring(hack_check.n), tostring(HEALTH_ALIVE[hack_check.unit] == true), tostring(smart_tag_system and smart_tag_system:unit_tag(hack_check.unit) ~= nil), tostring(mod:is_servo_skull_hacking()), tostring(mod.omni_hack_patched_sys ~= nil), tostring(mod.omni_hack_hook_count)))
             end
             hack_check = nil
         end