diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/build-linux.yml
index 5212fba703e..9b286c9fcea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-linux.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ on:
         type: string
         default: "linux64-deploy"
         description: "CMake preset for Linux"
+      package_format:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "appimage"
+        description: "Artifact packaging format: appimage (default) or gzip"
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       game:
@@ -32,6 +37,13 @@ on:
           - linux64-deploy
           - linux64-testing
         default: linux64-deploy
+      package_format:
+        type: choice
+        description: "Artifact packaging format"
+        options:
+          - appimage
+          - gzip
+        default: appimage
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -45,6 +57,23 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      - name: Normalize package format
+        id: package-format
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          # GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Normalize invalid package_format to appimage to keep workflow resilient.
+          FORMAT="${{ inputs.package_format }}"
+          case "${FORMAT}" in
+            appimage|gzip)
+              echo "package_format is valid: ${FORMAT}"
+              ;;
+            *)
+              echo "WARNING: Invalid package_format '${FORMAT}'. Falling back to 'appimage'."
+              FORMAT="appimage"
+              ;;
+          esac
+          echo "value=${FORMAT}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
       - name: Cache vcpkg
         id: cache-vcpkg
         uses: actions/cache@v4
@@ -176,68 +205,103 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-      - name: Deploy Bundle (Binary + Libraries + Wrapper)
-        if: success()
+      # GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Package as AppImage (self-contained, no FUSE needed for appimagetool in CI via APPIMAGE_EXTRACT_AND_RUN).
+      - name: Package as AppImage
+        if: success() && steps.package-format.outputs.value == 'appimage'
+        env:
+          APPIMAGE_EXTRACT_AND_RUN: "1"
+        run: |
+          if [ "${{ inputs.game }}" = "GeneralsMD" ]; then
+            ./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh ${{ inputs.preset }}
+          else
+            ./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh ${{ inputs.preset }}
+          fi
+
+      # GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Legacy gzip bundle kept as opt-in fallback for CI/testing.
+      - name: Package as gzip bundle
+        if: success() && steps.package-format.outputs.value == 'gzip'
         run: |
           if [ "${{ inputs.game }}" = "GeneralsMD" ]; then
             BINARY="build/${{ inputs.preset }}/GeneralsMD/GeneralsXZH"
-            GAME_DIR="GeneralsMD"
           else
             BINARY="build/${{ inputs.preset }}/Generals/GeneralsX"
-            GAME_DIR="Generals"
           fi
-          
+
           RUNTIME_DIR="/tmp/GeneralsX-${{ inputs.game }}-deploy"
           mkdir -p "${RUNTIME_DIR}"
-          
+
           echo "Creating deployment bundle at: ${RUNTIME_DIR}"
           echo "  Copying executable..."
           cp -v "${BINARY}" "${RUNTIME_DIR}/$(basename ${BINARY})"
           chmod +x "${RUNTIME_DIR}/$(basename ${BINARY})"
-          
+
           echo "  Copying DXVK libraries..."
           find "build/${{ inputs.preset }}/_deps/dxvk-src/lib" -name "*.so*" -exec cp -v {} "${RUNTIME_DIR}/" \; 2>/dev/null || true
-          
+
           echo "  Copying SDL3 libraries..."
           find "build/${{ inputs.preset }}/_deps/sdl3-build" -name "*.so*" -exec cp -v {} "${RUNTIME_DIR}/" \; 2>/dev/null || true
           find "build/${{ inputs.preset }}/_deps/sdl3_image-build" -name "*.so*" -exec cp -v {} "${RUNTIME_DIR}/" \; 2>/dev/null || true
 
-          # GeneralsX @bugfix felipebraz 05/03/2026 Bundle OpenAL (openal_soft-build output, not provided by runner).
           echo "  Copying OpenAL library..."
           find "build/${{ inputs.preset }}/_deps/openal_soft-build" -name "*.so*" -exec cp -v {} "${RUNTIME_DIR}/" \; 2>/dev/null || true
 
           echo "  Copying GameSpy library..."
           find "build/${{ inputs.preset }}" -name "libgamespy.so*" -exec cp -v {} "${RUNTIME_DIR}/" \; 2>/dev/null || true
-          
+
           echo "  Copying run.sh wrapper from scripts..."
           cp -v "scripts/qa/smoke/run-bundled-game.sh" "${RUNTIME_DIR}/run.sh"
           chmod +x "${RUNTIME_DIR}/run.sh"
 
-          # GeneralsX @bugfix felipebraz 05/03/2026 Validate required runtime libraries in Linux bundle.
           if ! compgen -G "${RUNTIME_DIR}/libgamespy.so*" > /dev/null; then
-            echo "❌ Missing required runtime library: libgamespy.so*"
+            echo "ERROR: Missing required runtime library: libgamespy.so*"
             exit 1
           fi
           if ! compgen -G "${RUNTIME_DIR}/libdxvk_d3d8.so*" > /dev/null; then
-            echo "❌ Missing required runtime library: libdxvk_d3d8.so*"
+            echo "ERROR: Missing required runtime library: libdxvk_d3d8.so*"
             exit 1
           fi
           if ! compgen -G "${RUNTIME_DIR}/libSDL3.so*" > /dev/null; then
-            echo "❌ Missing required runtime library: libSDL3.so*"
+            echo "ERROR: Missing required runtime library: libSDL3.so*"
             exit 1
           fi
           if ! compgen -G "${RUNTIME_DIR}/libopenal.so*" > /dev/null; then
-            echo "❌ Missing required runtime library: libopenal.so*"
+            echo "ERROR: Missing required runtime library: libopenal.so*"
             exit 1
           fi
-          
-          echo "✅ Bundle ready at: ${RUNTIME_DIR}"
+
+          echo "Bundle ready at: ${RUNTIME_DIR}"
           ls -lh "${RUNTIME_DIR}/"
 
-          # GeneralsX @build fbraz3 27/03/2026 Archive bundle as tar (no compression) to preserve POSIX permissions.
           BUNDLE_TAR="/tmp/GeneralsX-${{ inputs.game }}-${{ inputs.preset }}.tar"
           tar -C "/tmp" -cf "${BUNDLE_TAR}" "GeneralsX-${{ inputs.game }}-deploy/"
-          echo "✅ Archive ready: ${BUNDLE_TAR}"
+          echo "Archive ready: ${BUNDLE_TAR}"
+
+      - name: Set artifact metadata
+        id: artifact
+        if: success()
+        run: |
+          PRESET="${{ inputs.preset }}"
+          FORMAT="${{ steps.package-format.outputs.value }}"
+          GAME_SLUG="${{ inputs.game == 'GeneralsMD' && 'generalsxzh' || 'generalsx' }}"
+          PRESET_SLUG="${{ inputs.preset == 'linux64-deploy' && 'linux64' || inputs.preset }}"
+
+          if [ "${FORMAT}" = "gzip" ]; then
+            echo "name=linux-${GAME_SLUG}-${PRESET_SLUG}-bundle" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "path=/tmp/GeneralsX-${{ inputs.game }}-${PRESET}.tar" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            if [ "${{ inputs.game }}" = "GeneralsMD" ]; then
+              INPUT_PATH="build/GeneralsXZH-${PRESET}-x86_64.AppImage"
+              OUTPUT_PATH="/tmp/GeneralsXZH-${PRESET}-x86_64.AppImage"
+            else
+              INPUT_PATH="build/GeneralsX-${PRESET}-x86_64.AppImage"
+              OUTPUT_PATH="/tmp/GeneralsX-${PRESET}-x86_64.AppImage"
+            fi
+
+            # GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Flatten uploaded AppImage artifact structure (no intermediate directories inside zip).
+            cp -f "${INPUT_PATH}" "${OUTPUT_PATH}"
+            echo "name=linux-${GAME_SLUG}-${PRESET_SLUG}-appimage" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "path=${OUTPUT_PATH}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
 
       - name: Upload Build Logs
         if: always()
@@ -251,7 +315,7 @@ jobs:
         if: success()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: ${{ format('linux-{0}-{1}-bundle', inputs.game == 'GeneralsMD' && 'generalsxzh' || 'generalsx', inputs.preset == 'linux64-deploy' && 'linux64' || inputs.preset) }}
-          path: /tmp/GeneralsX-${{ inputs.game }}-${{ inputs.preset }}.tar
+          name: ${{ steps.artifact.outputs.name }}
+          path: ${{ steps.artifact.outputs.path }}
           retention-days: 7
           if-no-files-found: warn
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 66b50fe71ea..e0aa68c14c2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -41,12 +41,14 @@ jobs:
     with:
       game: GeneralsMD
       preset: linux64-deploy
+      package_format: appimage
 
   build-linux-generals:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/build-linux.yml
     with:
       game: Generals
       preset: linux64-deploy
+      package_format: appimage
 
   build-macos-zh:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/build-macos.yml
@@ -104,16 +106,16 @@ jobs:
             echo "first_release=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           fi
 
-      - name: Download Linux bundle artifact
+      - name: Download Linux appimage artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: linux-generalsxzh-linux64-bundle
+          name: linux-generalsxzh-linux64-appimage
           path: artifacts/linux
 
-      - name: Download Linux Generals bundle artifact
+      - name: Download Linux Generals appimage artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: linux-generalsx-linux64-bundle
+          name: linux-generalsx-linux64-appimage
           path: artifacts/linux-generals
 
       - name: Download macOS bundle artifact
@@ -135,34 +137,41 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           mkdir -p release-assets
 
-          LINUX_TAR=$(find artifacts/linux -name "*.tar" | head -1)
-          if [ -z "$LINUX_TAR" ] || [ ! -f "$LINUX_TAR" ]; then
-            echo "ERROR: Linux bundle tar not found in artifacts/linux"
-            find artifacts/linux -maxdepth 3 -type f || true
-            exit 1
+          # GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Prefer AppImage artifacts; fall back to legacy tar bundle.
+          LINUX_APPIMAGE=$(find artifacts/linux -name "*.AppImage" | head -1)
+          if [ -n "$LINUX_APPIMAGE" ] && [ -f "$LINUX_APPIMAGE" ]; then
+            cp "$LINUX_APPIMAGE" release-assets/GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage
+            LINUX_OUT="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage"
+          else
+            LINUX_TAR=$(find artifacts/linux -name "*.tar" | head -1)
+            if [ -z "$LINUX_TAR" ] || [ ! -f "$LINUX_TAR" ]; then
+              echo "ERROR: Linux ZH bundle not found in artifacts/linux"
+              find artifacts/linux -maxdepth 3 -type f || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            mkdir -p /tmp/linux-bundle
+            tar -xf "$LINUX_TAR" -C /tmp/linux-bundle
+            (cd /tmp/linux-bundle && zip -r "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsxzh-linux64-bundle.zip" .)
+            LINUX_OUT="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsxzh-linux64-bundle.zip"
           fi
 
-          mkdir -p /tmp/linux-bundle
-          tar -xf "$LINUX_TAR" -C /tmp/linux-bundle
-          (
-            cd /tmp/linux-bundle
-            zip -r "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsxzh-linux64-bundle.zip" .
-          )
-
-          LINUX_GENERALS_TAR=$(find artifacts/linux-generals -name "*.tar" | head -1)
-          if [ -z "$LINUX_GENERALS_TAR" ] || [ ! -f "$LINUX_GENERALS_TAR" ]; then
-            echo "ERROR: Linux Generals bundle tar not found in artifacts/linux-generals"
-            find artifacts/linux-generals -maxdepth 3 -type f || true
-            exit 1
+          LINUX_GENERALS_APPIMAGE=$(find artifacts/linux-generals -name "*.AppImage" | head -1)
+          if [ -n "$LINUX_GENERALS_APPIMAGE" ] && [ -f "$LINUX_GENERALS_APPIMAGE" ]; then
+            cp "$LINUX_GENERALS_APPIMAGE" release-assets/GeneralsX-linux-x86_64.AppImage
+            LINUX_GENERALS_OUT="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/GeneralsX-linux-x86_64.AppImage"
+          else
+            LINUX_GENERALS_TAR=$(find artifacts/linux-generals -name "*.tar" | head -1)
+            if [ -z "$LINUX_GENERALS_TAR" ] || [ ! -f "$LINUX_GENERALS_TAR" ]; then
+              echo "ERROR: Linux Generals bundle not found in artifacts/linux-generals"
+              find artifacts/linux-generals -maxdepth 3 -type f || true
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            mkdir -p /tmp/linux-generals-bundle
+            tar -xf "$LINUX_GENERALS_TAR" -C /tmp/linux-generals-bundle
+            (cd /tmp/linux-generals-bundle && zip -r "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsx-linux64-bundle.zip" .)
+            LINUX_GENERALS_OUT="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsx-linux64-bundle.zip"
           fi
 
-          mkdir -p /tmp/linux-generals-bundle
-          tar -xf "$LINUX_GENERALS_TAR" -C /tmp/linux-generals-bundle
-          (
-            cd /tmp/linux-generals-bundle
-            zip -r "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsx-linux64-bundle.zip" .
-          )
-
           MAC_TAR=$(find artifacts/macos -name "*.tar" | head -1)
           if [ -z "$MAC_TAR" ] || [ ! -f "$MAC_TAR" ]; then
             echo "ERROR: macOS app tar not found in artifacts/macos"
@@ -192,8 +201,8 @@ jobs:
           cp "$MAC_GENERALS_TAR" release-assets/GeneralsX-macos-arm64.app.tar
           zip -j release-assets/macos-generalsx-app.tar.zip release-assets/GeneralsX-macos-arm64.app.tar
 
-          echo "linux_generals_asset=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsx-linux64-bundle.zip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-          echo "linux_asset=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/linux-generalsxzh-linux64-bundle.zip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "linux_generals_asset=$LINUX_GENERALS_OUT" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "linux_asset=$LINUX_OUT" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "macos_generals_asset=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/macos-generalsx-app.tar.zip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "macos_asset=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/release-assets/macos-generalsxzh-app.tar.zip" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
@@ -371,8 +380,8 @@ jobs:
           echo "- Create release: ${{ inputs.create_release }}" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           echo "- Pre-release: ${{ inputs.is_prerelease }}" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           echo "- Dry run: ${{ inputs.dry_run }}" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
-          echo "- Linux asset (Generals): linux-generalsx-linux64-bundle.zip" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
-          echo "- Linux asset: linux-generalsxzh-linux64-bundle.zip" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          echo "- Linux asset (Generals): GeneralsX-linux-x86_64.AppImage" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+          echo "- Linux asset: GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           echo "- macOS asset (Generals): macos-generalsx-app.tar.zip" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           echo "- macOS asset: macos-generalsxzh-app.tar.zip" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           echo "" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
index 9f5a85b6393..9a978e4007d 100644
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -94,6 +94,36 @@
 			},
 			"problemMatcher": []
 		},
+		{
+			"label": "[Linux] Build AppImage GeneralsX",
+			"type": "shell",
+			"command": "./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh linux64-deploy",
+			"isBackground": false,
+			"group": "build",
+			"presentation": {
+				"reveal": "always",
+				"panel": "dedicated",
+				"showReuseMessage": false,
+				"clear": false,
+				"focus": false
+			},
+			"problemMatcher": []
+		},
+		{
+			"label": "[Linux] Build AppImage GeneralsXZH",
+			"type": "shell",
+			"command": "./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh linux64-deploy",
+			"isBackground": false,
+			"group": "build",
+			"presentation": {
+				"reveal": "always",
+				"panel": "dedicated",
+				"showReuseMessage": false,
+				"clear": false,
+				"focus": false
+			},
+			"problemMatcher": []
+		},
 		{
 			"label": "[Linux] Bundle GeneralsXZH",
 			"type": "shell",
diff --git a/docs/BUILD/INSTALL_INSTRUCTIONS.md b/docs/BUILD/INSTALL_INSTRUCTIONS.md
index 9e91a07e337..cd1a290a12d 100644
--- a/docs/BUILD/INSTALL_INSTRUCTIONS.md
+++ b/docs/BUILD/INSTALL_INSTRUCTIONS.md
@@ -13,11 +13,42 @@ Legacy fallback during migration is still supported:
 
 ## Linux
 
-1. Download the Linux archive from this release.
-2. Extract all files into your Zero Hour directory (for example, `$HOME/GeneralsX/GeneralsZH`). Overwrite existing files if prompted.
-3. Some dependencies (such as DXVK) require specific environment variables. The easiest way to launch the game is to run the provided `run.sh` script from a terminal.
+1. Download the `.AppImage` file from this release (`GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage` for Zero Hour, `GeneralsX-linux-x86_64.AppImage` for the base game).
+2. Open a terminal, make it executable, and run it:
 
-If your existing setup still uses `$HOME/GeneralsX/GeneralsMD`, release scripts keep compatibility with that legacy path.
+   ```bash
+   chmod +x GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage
+   ./GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage -win
+   ```
+
+   Troubleshooting: AppImages commonly use FUSE to mount their embedded filesystem at launch. If direct execution fails on a minimal or sandboxed system, try:
+
+   ```bash
+   APPIMAGE_EXTRACT_AND_RUN=1 ./GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage -win
+   ```
+
+   Or extract and run manually:
+
+   ```bash
+   ./GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage --appimage-extract
+   ./squashfs-root/AppRun -win
+   ```
+
+3. The AppImage auto-detects game data in the following default locations (checked in order):
+   - `$HOME/GeneralsX/GeneralsZH` (preferred)
+   - `$HOME/GeneralsX/GeneralsMD` (legacy fallback)
+
+   If your assets are stored elsewhere, set the environment variable before launching:
+
+   ```bash
+   CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH=/path/to/your/zero-hour-data ./GeneralsXZH-linux-x86_64.AppImage -win
+   ```
+
+   For the base game, use `CNC_GENERALS_PATH` instead.
+
+4. All runtime libraries (DXVK, SDL3, OpenAL, FFmpeg, etc.) are bundled inside the AppImage. No additional packages need to be installed.
+
+> **GPU Driver note**: Vulkan support must be provided by your host GPU driver. For NVIDIA use the proprietary driver, for AMD/Intel use Mesa 21+. The AppImage does not bundle GPU drivers.
 
 ## macOS
 
diff --git a/docs/DEV_BLOG/2026-04-DIARY.md b/docs/DEV_BLOG/2026-04-DIARY.md
index 6be6f818c31..311bf0f6931 100644
--- a/docs/DEV_BLOG/2026-04-DIARY.md
+++ b/docs/DEV_BLOG/2026-04-DIARY.md
@@ -2,6 +2,130 @@
 
 ---
 
+## 2026-04-10 (SESSION CURRENT): Linux build workflow input normalization and AppImage toolchain supply-chain hardening
+
+Applied two related CI/script hardening updates to reduce avoidable failures and tighten packaging trust boundaries.
+
+**Workflow update (`build-linux.yml`):**
+- Removed the standalone `validate-package-format` job.
+- Added in-job normalization step (`package-format`) to sanitize unexpected `package_format` values.
+- Invalid values now fall back to `appimage` with warning (fail-safe behavior).
+- Packaging conditionals and artifact metadata now use the sanitized output.
+
+**AppImage script security update:**
+- Updated both scripts:
+  - `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh`
+  - `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh`
+- Replaced legacy floating URL defaults with pinned `AppImage/appimagetool` release (`1.9.1`).
+- Added strict URL validation to reject `continuous` and non-release URL patterns.
+- Enabled mandatory SHA-256 validation for downloaded `appimagetool` binaries.
+- In CI, force use of pinned downloaded binary instead of an arbitrary system `appimagetool` from `PATH`.
+
+**Validation:**
+- `bash -n` syntax checks passed for both updated AppImage scripts.
+- YAML diagnostics remain clean for workflow updates.
+
+**Takeaway:**
+For release packaging, deterministic input handling and pinned+verified build tools are mandatory to reduce CI flakiness and supply-chain exposure.
+
+## 2026-04-10 (SESSION CURRENT): AppImage hardened against FFmpeg SONAME mismatch on newer Ubuntu
+
+Addressed user-reported runtime failures on Ubuntu 25.10 where host FFmpeg SONAMEs differ from what the game binary requires (`libavcodec.so.60`, `libavformat.so.60`, `libavutil.so.58`, `libswscale.so.7`).
+
+**Root cause:**
+- AppImage builders did not bundle FFmpeg runtime libs, so binaries resolved host libraries.
+- Host symlink workarounds do not satisfy ELF symbol versioning (`LIBAVCODEC_60`, `LIBAVFORMAT_60`, etc.).
+
+**Fixes:**
+- Updated both builders:
+  - `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh`
+  - `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh`
+- Added FFmpeg SONAME bundling + codec dependency closure copy.
+- Added fail-fast checks ensuring required FFmpeg libs are present in AppDir runtime.
+
+**Validation:**
+- Both AppImage builds succeeded.
+- Verified bundled libs in both AppDirs include:
+  - `libavcodec.so.60`
+  - `libavformat.so.60`
+  - `libavutil.so.58`
+  - `libswscale.so.7`
+  - `libswresample.so.4`
+
+**Takeaway:**
+For this project, AppImage compatibility requires shipping version-matched FFmpeg userspace libs; host symlinks are not a reliable solution for symbol-versioned dependencies.
+
+## 2026-04-10 (SESSION CURRENT): Fixed AppImage task failure caused by removed flatpak icon path
+
+Resolved a regression where `[Linux] Build AppImage GeneralsXZH` failed after `flatpak/` removal.
+
+**Root cause:**
+- ZH AppImage builder still referenced icon path under `flatpak/`.
+- `appimagetool` requires the desktop icon file referenced by the `.desktop` entry.
+
+**Fixes:**
+- Updated ZH builder to use assets-based icon path and fallback order:
+  - `assets/generalsx-zh_icon.png`
+  - fallback `assets/generalsx_icon.png`
+- Added explicit fail-fast icon checks for both ZH and Generals AppImage builders.
+
+**Validation:**
+- `./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh linux64-deploy` succeeded.
+- `./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh linux64-deploy` succeeded.
+- Both AppImage artifacts were generated under `build/`.
+
+## 2026-04-09 (SESSION CURRENT): AppImage launcher path resolution fixed for CNC_GENERALS_* env overrides
+
+Improved AppImage `AppRun` to resolve assets deterministically and honor user-provided environment variables before fallback auto-detection.
+
+**Changes:**
+- Updated launcher generation in `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh`:
+  - Prioritizes `CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH` when it points to an existing directory
+  - Prioritizes `CNC_GENERALS_PATH` (and maps to `CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH` if needed)
+  - Keeps fallback auto-detection (AppImage directory, launch directory, common `~/GeneralsX/*` paths)
+  - Switches working directory to resolved ZH asset path when available
+- Updated AppImage docs and scripts README with explicit override examples
+
+**Validation:**
+- Rebuilt AppImage successfully with updated launcher logic.
+- Runtime output confirms resolved asset/base path messages and normal startup progression.
+
+## 2026-04-09 (SESSION CURRENT): AppImage base-game counterpart added and VS Code tasks aligned
+
+Expanded the AppImage work on this branch so packaging is no longer Zero Hour-only.
+
+**Implemented:**
+- Added `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh` for base Generals.
+- Updated VS Code tasks to expose Linux AppImage packaging for both variants.
+- Extended AppImage support docs and usage examples.
+
+**Result:**
+- Branch now carries the AppImage packaging track cleanly for both games.
+
+## 2026-04-09 (SESSION CURRENT): AppImage PoC implemented and validated (short-term Linux packaging path)
+
+Given repeated Linux packaging friction around runtime compatibility, implemented a practical AppImage packaging path for Zero Hour as a short-term distribution strategy.
+
+**Implemented:**
+- New builder script: `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh`
+  - Creates AppDir + AppImage for `GeneralsXZH`
+  - Bundles DXVK, SDL3, SDL3_image, OpenAL, and GameSpy runtime libs
+  - Generates AppRun launcher with existing DXVK/OpenAL runtime defaults
+  - Reuses existing icon asset and desktop metadata
+  - Auto-downloads `appimagetool` when not installed globally
+- Updated scripts inventory docs in `scripts/README.md`
+- Added active-work note `docs/WORKDIR/support/APPIMAGE_POC_PLAN_2026-04.md`
+
+**Validation result:**
+- AppImage generated successfully:
+  - `build/GeneralsXZH-linux64-deploy-x86_64.AppImage`
+- Smoke launch succeeded through Vulkan window creation and early engine initialization:
+  - Vulkan library loaded
+  - SDL3 Vulkan window created successfully
+  - Engine initialization and INI loading started normally
+
+**Takeaway:**
+AppImage is currently a viable short-term Linux packaging path for this project state.
 ## 2026-04-08 (SESSION 113): Remove stale local DXVK patch-flow narrative
 
 Aligned macOS DXVK docs and CMake comments with the current pinned-fork source model and deprecated the old local patch helper script.
diff --git a/docs/WORKDIR/lessons/2026-04-LESSONS.md b/docs/WORKDIR/lessons/2026-04-LESSONS.md
index 84c958af9fb..28405a99d73 100644
--- a/docs/WORKDIR/lessons/2026-04-LESSONS.md
+++ b/docs/WORKDIR/lessons/2026-04-LESSONS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # 2026-04 Lessons Learned
 
+## Session 2026-04-09 - AppImage can bypass current Flatpak Vulkan/XCB coupling blockers
+
+- Problem: Flatpak remained blocked by Vulkan ICD/XCB symbol incompatibilities despite multiple runtime workarounds.
+- Action: Implemented an AppImage packaging PoC for `GeneralsXZH` bundling userspace runtime libs (DXVK, SDL3, SDL3_image, OpenAL, GameSpy) with a dedicated launcher.
+- Result: AppImage launched successfully and progressed beyond Vulkan window creation and early engine initialization, where Flatpak path previously failed.
+- Insight: For short-term Linux distribution, AppImage is currently lower-risk and faster to stabilize than Flatpak in this codebase state.
+- Prevention: Keep Flatpak as a parallel track for longer-term sandbox goals, but prioritize AppImage for immediate user-facing releases.
 ## Session 2026-04-01 - User-facing path migrations need runtime fallback, not just docs updates
 
 - Problem: Zero Hour user-facing scripts and docs exposed the internal `GeneralsMD` path, which leaks implementation details and conflicts with product naming (`GeneralsZH`).
diff --git a/docs/WORKDIR/support/APPIMAGE_POC_PLAN_2026-04.md b/docs/WORKDIR/support/APPIMAGE_POC_PLAN_2026-04.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..34ded96dd03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/WORKDIR/support/APPIMAGE_POC_PLAN_2026-04.md
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# AppImage PoC Plan (April 2026)
+
+## Why AppImage now
+
+Flatpak currently requires heavy runtime workarounds for Vulkan WSI/XCB compatibility.
+A short-term AppImage path reduces distro ABI friction while keeping distribution simple for end users.
+
+## PoC Scope
+
+- Targets:
+	- Zero Hour runtime (`GeneralsXZH`)
+	- Generals base runtime (`GeneralsX`)
+- Output: portable files under `build/`
+- Tooling:
+	- `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh`
+	- `scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh`
+
+## Included runtime artifacts
+
+- Game binary (`GeneralsXZH` or `GeneralsX`)
+- DXVK userspace libs (`libdxvk_d3d8.so*`, optional d3d9)
+- SDL3 + SDL3_image
+- OpenAL
+- GameSpy
+- FFmpeg runtime libs with matching SONAMEs (`libavcodec.so.60`, `libavformat.so.60`, `libavutil.so.58`, `libswscale.so.7`, `libswresample.so.4`) plus transitive codec deps
+- Optional `dxvk.conf`
+
+## Launcher behavior
+
+- Uses bundled libs via `LD_LIBRARY_PATH`
+- Exposes DXVK defaults (`DXVK_WSI_DRIVER=SDL3`, logging/HUD knobs)
+- Honors user overrides first, then auto-detects paths:
+	- `CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH` (Zero Hour assets)
+	- `CNC_GENERALS_PATH` and `CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH` (base Generals assets)
+	- fallback auto-detection from AppImage directory, current launch directory, and common `~/GeneralsX/*` paths
+- Keeps OpenAL workaround env for known alignment/backend issues
+
+### Recommended launch form with explicit paths
+
+```bash
+CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="/path/to/GeneralsZH_or_GeneralsMD" \
+CNC_GENERALS_PATH="/path/to/Generals" \
+./build/GeneralsXZH-linux64-deploy-x86_64.AppImage -win
+```
+
+For base Generals:
+
+```bash
+CNC_GENERALS_PATH="/path/to/Generals" \
+./build/GeneralsX-linux64-deploy-x86_64.AppImage -win
+```
+
+## Build command
+
+Example:
+
+- `./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh linux64-deploy`
+- `./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh linux64-deploy`
+
+## Validation checklist
+
+- AppImage file created under `build/`
+- Binary starts from AppImage launcher
+- Intro/menu reached with expected Vulkan + SDL3 path
+- Smoke test on at least two distro families
+
+## Risks
+
+- Host driver stack (Vulkan ICD) still remains a runtime dependency
+- Some environments may require additional policy tweaks (for example FUSE or sandbox constraints)
+- Build baseline still matters for broad compatibility (prefer building AppImage on an older supported distro)
diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
index fa7e1aafa23..8ef6c0142f1 100644
--- a/scripts/README.md
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -8,10 +8,12 @@ This folder is organized by function for easier maintenance and discovery.
 
 #### `build/linux/` - Linux & Docker Build
 Scripts for Linux native and Docker-based builds:
+- `build-linux-appimage-generals.sh` - Package GeneralsX as AppImage (portable single-file Linux distribution)
 - `docker-configure-linux.sh` - Configure CMake for Linux build
 - `docker-build-linux-zh.sh` - Build GeneralsXZH (Zero Hour) for Linux
 - `docker-build-linux-generals.sh` - Build GeneralsX (base game) for Linux
 - `docker-build-mingw-zh.sh` - Cross-compile Windows .exe via MinGW in Docker
+- `build-linux-appimage-zh.sh` - Package GeneralsXZH as AppImage (portable single-file Linux distribution)
 - `bundle-linux-zh.sh` - Bundle compiled binaries
 - `deploy-linux-zh.sh` - Deploy to runtime directory
 - `run-linux-zh.sh` - Launch the game windowed
@@ -104,6 +106,17 @@ brew install --cask docker
 
 # 6. Run
 ./scripts/build/linux/run-linux-zh.sh -win
+
+# 7. Optional: build AppImage package
+./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh linux64-deploy
+
+# 7b. Optional: build AppImage package for base Generals
+./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh linux64-deploy
+
+# 8. Optional: run AppImage with explicit asset paths
+CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="/path/to/GeneralsZH_or_GeneralsMD" \
+CNC_GENERALS_PATH="/path/to/Generals" \
+./build/GeneralsXZH-linux64-deploy-x86_64.AppImage -win
 ```
 
 ### macOS Build
diff --git a/scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh b/scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..6c54f5b1e77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,333 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 09/04/2026 Build a portable AppImage package for GeneralsX on Linux.
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-generals.sh [preset]
+set -euo pipefail
+
+PRESET="${1:-linux64-deploy}"
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/../../.." && pwd)"
+BUILD_DIR="${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/${PRESET}"
+APPIMAGE_ROOT="${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/appimage"
+APPDIR="${APPIMAGE_ROOT}/GeneralsX.AppDir"
+OUTPUT_APPIMAGE="${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/GeneralsX-${PRESET}-x86_64.AppImage"
+# GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Pin appimagetool to immutable upstream release and enforce checksum validation.
+APPIMAGETOOL_VERSION="${APPIMAGETOOL_VERSION:-1.9.1}"
+APPIMAGETOOL_URL="${APPIMAGETOOL_URL:-https://github.com/AppImage/appimagetool/releases/download/${APPIMAGETOOL_VERSION}/appimagetool-x86_64.AppImage}"
+APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256="${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256:-ed4ce84f0d9caff66f50bcca6ff6f35aae54ce8135408b3fa33abfc3cb384eb0}"
+
+DXVK_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/dxvk-src/lib"
+SDL3_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/sdl3-build"
+SDL3_IMAGE_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/sdl3_image-build"
+OPENAL_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/openal_soft-build"
+FFMPEG_LIB_DIR="/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
+FFMPEG_DEP_LIB_DIR="/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
+BINARY_SRC="${BUILD_DIR}/Generals/GeneralsX"
+GAMESPY_LIB="${BUILD_DIR}/libgamespy.so"
+DXVK_CONF_SRC="${PROJECT_ROOT}/resources/dxvk/dxvk.conf"
+ICON_SRC="${PROJECT_ROOT}/assets/generalsx_icon.png"
+
+copy_optional_libs() {
+    local source_dir="$1"
+    local pattern="$2"
+    if [[ -d "${source_dir}" ]]; then
+        local matches=()
+        shopt -s nullglob
+        matches=("${source_dir}"/${pattern})
+        shopt -u nullglob
+        if (( ${#matches[@]} > 0 )); then
+            cp -a "${matches[@]}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/"
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
+copy_codec_dep() {
+    local pattern="$1"
+    copy_optional_libs "${FFMPEG_DEP_LIB_DIR}" "${pattern}"
+    copy_optional_libs "${FFMPEG_LIB_DIR}" "${pattern}"
+}
+
+copy_ldd_deps() {
+    local root="$1"
+    [[ -e "${root}" ]] || return 0
+
+    while IFS= read -r dep; do
+        case "${dep}" in
+            # GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Exclude glibc loader/runtime files across common Linux layouts to preserve AppImage portability.
+            linux-vdso.so.1 | \
+            /lib64/ld-linux* | /lib/*/ld-linux* | /usr/lib/*/ld-linux* | /usr/lib64/ld-linux* | \
+            /lib/*/libc.so.* | /lib64/libc.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libc.so.* | /usr/lib64/libc.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/libm.so.* | /lib64/libm.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libm.so.* | /usr/lib64/libm.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/libpthread.so.* | /lib64/libpthread.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libpthread.so.* | /usr/lib64/libpthread.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/librt.so.* | /lib64/librt.so.* | /usr/lib/*/librt.so.* | /usr/lib64/librt.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/libdl.so.* | /lib64/libdl.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libdl.so.* | /usr/lib64/libdl.so.*)
+                continue
+                ;;
+        esac
+
+        cp -a "${dep}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/" 2>/dev/null || true
+        if [[ -L "${dep}" ]]; then
+            local resolved
+            resolved="$(readlink -f "${dep}")"
+            cp -a "${resolved}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/" 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+    done < <(ldd "${root}" | awk '{for (i = 1; i <= NF; ++i) { if ($i ~ /^\//) { print $i; break } }}' | sort -u)
+}
+
+verify_sha256_if_configured() {
+    local file_path="$1"
+
+    if [[ -z "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256 is required for appimagetool verification." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    if command -v sha256sum >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}  ${file_path}" | sha256sum -c -
+    elif command -v shasum >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        local actual_sha256
+        actual_sha256="$(shasum -a 256 "${file_path}" | awk '{print $1}')"
+        if [[ "${actual_sha256}" != "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" ]]; then
+            echo "ERROR: appimagetool SHA-256 mismatch" >&2
+            echo "Expected: ${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" >&2
+            echo "Actual:   ${actual_sha256}" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    else
+        echo "ERROR: Neither sha256sum nor shasum is available for checksum verification." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+validate_appimagetool_source() {
+    case "${APPIMAGETOOL_URL}" in
+        https://github.com/AppImage/appimagetool/releases/download/*/appimagetool-x86_64.AppImage)
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_URL must target a pinned AppImage/appimagetool release asset." >&2
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    if [[ "${APPIMAGETOOL_URL}" == *"/releases/download/continuous/"* ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_URL must not use floating continuous channel." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    if [[ ! "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" =~ ^[A-Fa-f0-9]{64}$ ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256 must be a 64-character hexadecimal SHA-256 digest." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+validate_appimagetool_source
+
+if [[ ! -f "${BINARY_SRC}" || ! -s "${BINARY_SRC}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing or empty binary: ${BINARY_SRC}" >&2
+    echo "Build first: ./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-linux-generals.sh ${PRESET}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -d "${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing DXVK libs dir: ${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -d "${SDL3_LIB_DIR}" || ! -d "${SDL3_IMAGE_LIB_DIR}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing SDL3/SDL3_image build dirs under ${BUILD_DIR}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -f "${GAMESPY_LIB}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing GameSpy lib: ${GAMESPY_LIB}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+rm -rf "${APPDIR}"
+mkdir -p "${APPDIR}/usr/bin" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/applications" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps"
+
+cp "${BINARY_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/usr/bin/GeneralsX"
+chmod +x "${APPDIR}/usr/bin/GeneralsX"
+cp "${GAMESPY_LIB}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/"
+copy_optional_libs "${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" "libdxvk_d3d8.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" "libdxvk_d3d9.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${SDL3_LIB_DIR}" "libSDL3.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${SDL3_IMAGE_LIB_DIR}" "libSDL3_image.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${OPENAL_LIB_DIR}" "libopenal.so*"
+
+# GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Bundle FFmpeg SONAME-compatible libs to avoid host version mismatch (e.g. Ubuntu 25.10).
+copy_codec_dep "libavcodec.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libavformat.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libavutil.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libswresample.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libswscale.so*"
+
+# Include transitive codec dependencies required by FFmpeg libs.
+copy_codec_dep "libzvbi.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libsnappy.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libaom.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libcodec2.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libgsm.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libjxl.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libjxl_threads.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libmp3lame.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libopenjp2.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libopus.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "librav1e.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libshine.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libspeex.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libSvtAv1Enc.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libtheoraenc.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libtheoradec.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libtwolame.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvorbis.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvorbisenc.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libwebp.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libwebpmux.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libx264.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libx265.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libxvidcore.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libsoxr.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvpl.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libva.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libva-drm.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libva-x11.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvdpau.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libOpenCL.so*"
+
+shopt -s nullglob
+for ffmpeg_root in "${APPDIR}"/usr/lib/libavcodec.so* "${APPDIR}"/usr/lib/libavformat.so* "${APPDIR}"/usr/lib/libavutil.so*; do
+    copy_ldd_deps "${ffmpeg_root}"
+done
+shopt -u nullglob
+
+if ! compgen -G "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/libavcodec.so*" > /dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing required AppImage runtime library libavcodec.so*" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! compgen -G "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/libavformat.so*" > /dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing required AppImage runtime library libavformat.so*" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! compgen -G "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/libavutil.so*" > /dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing required AppImage runtime library libavutil.so*" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ -f "${DXVK_CONF_SRC}" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p "${APPDIR}/usr/share/generalsx"
+    cp "${DXVK_CONF_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/generalsx/dxvk.conf"
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "${ICON_SRC}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing icon asset: ${ICON_SRC}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+cat > "${APPDIR}/AppRun" << 'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 09/04/2026 AppImage runtime launcher for GeneralsX.
+# GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 09/04/2026 Honor CNC_GENERALS_PATH / CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH with deterministic precedence.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+APPDIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${APPDIR}/usr/lib:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}"
+export DXVK_WSI_DRIVER="SDL3"
+export DXVK_LOG_LEVEL="${DXVK_LOG_LEVEL:-info}"
+export DXVK_HUD="${DXVK_HUD:-0}"
+
+with_trailing_slash() {
+    local path="$1"
+    if [[ "${path}" == */ ]]; then
+        printf '%s' "${path}"
+    else
+        printf '%s/' "${path}"
+    fi
+}
+
+has_big_files() {
+    local path="$1"
+    [[ -d "${path}" ]] || return 1
+    find "${path}" -maxdepth 1 -type f -iname '*.big' | grep -q .
+}
+
+APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR=""
+if [[ -n "${APPIMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+    APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${APPIMAGE}")" && pwd)"
+fi
+LAUNCH_DIR="$(pwd)"
+
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    if [[ ! -d "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}" ]]; then
+        echo "WARNING: CNC_GENERALS_PATH='${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}' does not exist; falling back to auto-detection"
+        unset CNC_GENERALS_PATH
+    else
+        export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}")"
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -n "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH:-}" && -d "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH}" ]]; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH}")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -n "${APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR}" ]] && has_big_files "${APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR}"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR}")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" ]] && has_big_files "${LAUNCH_DIR}"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${LAUNCH_DIR}")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" ]] && has_big_files "${HOME}/GeneralsX/Generals"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${HOME}/GeneralsX/Generals")"
+fi
+
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -z "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH:-}" ]]; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}")"
+fi
+
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    echo "INFO: AppImage base Generals path: ${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}"
+    cd "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}"
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "${ALSOFT_DISABLE_CPU_EXTS:-}" ]]; then
+    export ALSOFT_DISABLE_CPU_EXTS="all"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${ALSOFT_DRIVERS:-}" ]]; then
+    export ALSOFT_DRIVERS="pulse,alsa,oss,jack,null,wave"
+fi
+
+exec "${APPDIR}/usr/bin/GeneralsX" "$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x "${APPDIR}/AppRun"
+
+cat > "${APPDIR}/GeneralsX.desktop" << 'EOF'
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=Command & Conquer Generals (GeneralsX)
+Comment=Cross-platform Generals runtime
+Exec=GeneralsX
+Icon=GeneralsX
+Categories=Game;StrategyGame;
+Terminal=false
+EOF
+cp "${APPDIR}/GeneralsX.desktop" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/applications/GeneralsX.desktop"
+
+cp "${ICON_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/GeneralsX.png"
+cp "${ICON_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/GeneralsX.png"
+
+if command -v appimagetool >/dev/null 2>&1 && [[ -z "${CI:-}" ]]; then
+    APPIMAGETOOL_BIN="$(command -v appimagetool)"
+else
+    # GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Use pinned appimagetool artifact with mandatory SHA-256 verification for reproducible packaging.
+    APPIMAGETOOL_BIN="${APPIMAGE_ROOT}/appimagetool.AppImage"
+    mkdir -p "${APPIMAGE_ROOT}"
+    if [[ ! -f "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}" ]]; then
+        echo "Downloading appimagetool..."
+        curl -fL --retry 3 --output "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}" "${APPIMAGETOOL_URL}"
+    fi
+    verify_sha256_if_configured "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}"
+    chmod +x "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}"
+fi
+
+ARCH=x86_64 "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}" "${APPDIR}" "${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE}"
+
+echo "AppImage generated: ${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE}"
+echo "Run example:"
+echo "  chmod +x ${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE}"
+echo "  ${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE} -win"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh b/scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..35586801a28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,370 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 09/04/2026 Build a portable AppImage package for GeneralsXZH on Linux.
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/build/linux/build-linux-appimage-zh.sh [preset]
+set -euo pipefail
+
+PRESET="${1:-linux64-deploy}"
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/../../.." && pwd)"
+BUILD_DIR="${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/${PRESET}"
+APPIMAGE_ROOT="${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/appimage"
+APPDIR="${APPIMAGE_ROOT}/GeneralsXZH.AppDir"
+OUTPUT_APPIMAGE="${PROJECT_ROOT}/build/GeneralsXZH-${PRESET}-x86_64.AppImage"
+# GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Pin appimagetool to immutable upstream release and enforce checksum validation.
+APPIMAGETOOL_VERSION="${APPIMAGETOOL_VERSION:-1.9.1}"
+APPIMAGETOOL_URL="${APPIMAGETOOL_URL:-https://github.com/AppImage/appimagetool/releases/download/${APPIMAGETOOL_VERSION}/appimagetool-x86_64.AppImage}"
+APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256="${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256:-ed4ce84f0d9caff66f50bcca6ff6f35aae54ce8135408b3fa33abfc3cb384eb0}"
+
+DXVK_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/dxvk-src/lib"
+SDL3_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/sdl3-build"
+SDL3_IMAGE_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/sdl3_image-build"
+OPENAL_LIB_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}/_deps/openal_soft-build"
+FFMPEG_LIB_DIR="/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
+FFMPEG_DEP_LIB_DIR="/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
+BINARY_SRC="${BUILD_DIR}/GeneralsMD/GeneralsXZH"
+GAMESPY_LIB="${BUILD_DIR}/libgamespy.so"
+DXVK_CONF_SRC="${PROJECT_ROOT}/resources/dxvk/dxvk.conf"
+ICON_SRC_ZH="${PROJECT_ROOT}/assets/generalsx-zh_icon.png"
+ICON_SRC_FALLBACK="${PROJECT_ROOT}/assets/generalsx_icon.png"
+
+copy_optional_libs() {
+    local source_dir="$1"
+    local pattern="$2"
+    if [[ -d "${source_dir}" ]]; then
+        local matches=()
+        shopt -s nullglob
+        matches=("${source_dir}"/${pattern})
+        shopt -u nullglob
+        if (( ${#matches[@]} > 0 )); then
+            cp -a "${matches[@]}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/"
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
+copy_codec_dep() {
+    local pattern="$1"
+    copy_optional_libs "${FFMPEG_DEP_LIB_DIR}" "${pattern}"
+    copy_optional_libs "${FFMPEG_LIB_DIR}" "${pattern}"
+}
+
+copy_ldd_deps() {
+    local root="$1"
+    [[ -e "${root}" ]] || return 0
+
+    while IFS= read -r dep; do
+        case "${dep}" in
+            # GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Exclude glibc loader/runtime files across common Linux layouts to preserve AppImage portability.
+            linux-vdso.so.1 | \
+            /lib64/ld-linux* | /lib/*/ld-linux* | /usr/lib/*/ld-linux* | /usr/lib64/ld-linux* | \
+            /lib/*/libc.so.* | /lib64/libc.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libc.so.* | /usr/lib64/libc.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/libm.so.* | /lib64/libm.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libm.so.* | /usr/lib64/libm.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/libpthread.so.* | /lib64/libpthread.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libpthread.so.* | /usr/lib64/libpthread.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/librt.so.* | /lib64/librt.so.* | /usr/lib/*/librt.so.* | /usr/lib64/librt.so.* | \
+            /lib/*/libdl.so.* | /lib64/libdl.so.* | /usr/lib/*/libdl.so.* | /usr/lib64/libdl.so.*)
+                continue
+                ;;
+        esac
+
+        cp -a "${dep}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/" 2>/dev/null || true
+        if [[ -L "${dep}" ]]; then
+            local resolved
+            resolved="$(readlink -f "${dep}")"
+            cp -a "${resolved}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/" 2>/dev/null || true
+        fi
+    done < <(ldd "${root}" | awk '{for (i = 1; i <= NF; ++i) { if ($i ~ /^\//) { print $i; break } }}' | sort -u)
+}
+
+verify_sha256_if_configured() {
+    local file_path="$1"
+
+    if [[ -z "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256 is required for appimagetool verification." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    if command -v sha256sum >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}  ${file_path}" | sha256sum -c -
+    elif command -v shasum >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        local actual_sha256
+        actual_sha256="$(shasum -a 256 "${file_path}" | awk '{print $1}')"
+        if [[ "${actual_sha256}" != "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" ]]; then
+            echo "ERROR: appimagetool SHA-256 mismatch" >&2
+            echo "Expected: ${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" >&2
+            echo "Actual:   ${actual_sha256}" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    else
+        echo "ERROR: Neither sha256sum nor shasum is available for checksum verification." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+validate_appimagetool_source() {
+    case "${APPIMAGETOOL_URL}" in
+        https://github.com/AppImage/appimagetool/releases/download/*/appimagetool-x86_64.AppImage)
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_URL must target a pinned AppImage/appimagetool release asset." >&2
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    if [[ "${APPIMAGETOOL_URL}" == *"/releases/download/continuous/"* ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_URL must not use floating continuous channel." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    if [[ ! "${APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256}" =~ ^[A-Fa-f0-9]{64}$ ]]; then
+        echo "ERROR: APPIMAGETOOL_SHA256 must be a 64-character hexadecimal SHA-256 digest." >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+validate_appimagetool_source
+
+if [[ ! -f "${BINARY_SRC}" || ! -s "${BINARY_SRC}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing or empty binary: ${BINARY_SRC}" >&2
+    echo "Build first: ./scripts/build/linux/docker-build-linux-zh.sh ${PRESET}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -d "${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing DXVK libs dir: ${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -d "${SDL3_LIB_DIR}" || ! -d "${SDL3_IMAGE_LIB_DIR}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing SDL3/SDL3_image build dirs under ${BUILD_DIR}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if [[ ! -f "${GAMESPY_LIB}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing GameSpy lib: ${GAMESPY_LIB}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+rm -rf "${APPDIR}"
+mkdir -p "${APPDIR}/usr/bin" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/applications" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps"
+
+cp "${BINARY_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/usr/bin/GeneralsXZH"
+chmod +x "${APPDIR}/usr/bin/GeneralsXZH"
+cp "${GAMESPY_LIB}" "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/"
+copy_optional_libs "${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" "libdxvk_d3d8.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${DXVK_LIB_DIR}" "libdxvk_d3d9.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${SDL3_LIB_DIR}" "libSDL3.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${SDL3_IMAGE_LIB_DIR}" "libSDL3_image.so*"
+copy_optional_libs "${OPENAL_LIB_DIR}" "libopenal.so*"
+
+# GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Bundle FFmpeg SONAME-compatible libs to avoid host version mismatch (e.g. Ubuntu 25.10).
+copy_codec_dep "libavcodec.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libavformat.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libavutil.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libswresample.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libswscale.so*"
+
+# Include transitive codec dependencies required by FFmpeg libs.
+copy_codec_dep "libzvbi.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libsnappy.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libaom.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libcodec2.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libgsm.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libjxl.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libjxl_threads.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libmp3lame.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libopenjp2.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libopus.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "librav1e.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libshine.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libspeex.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libSvtAv1Enc.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libtheoraenc.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libtheoradec.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libtwolame.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvorbis.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvorbisenc.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libwebp.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libwebpmux.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libx264.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libx265.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libxvidcore.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libsoxr.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvpl.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libva.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libva-drm.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libva-x11.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libvdpau.so*"
+copy_codec_dep "libOpenCL.so*"
+
+shopt -s nullglob
+for ffmpeg_root in "${APPDIR}"/usr/lib/libavcodec.so* "${APPDIR}"/usr/lib/libavformat.so* "${APPDIR}"/usr/lib/libavutil.so*; do
+    copy_ldd_deps "${ffmpeg_root}"
+done
+shopt -u nullglob
+
+if ! compgen -G "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/libavcodec.so*" > /dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing required AppImage runtime library libavcodec.so*" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! compgen -G "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/libavformat.so*" > /dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing required AppImage runtime library libavformat.so*" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+if ! compgen -G "${APPDIR}/usr/lib/libavutil.so*" > /dev/null; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing required AppImage runtime library libavutil.so*" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ -f "${DXVK_CONF_SRC}" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p "${APPDIR}/usr/share/generalsxzh"
+    cp "${DXVK_CONF_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/generalsxzh/dxvk.conf"
+fi
+
+cat > "${APPDIR}/AppRun" << 'EOF'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 09/04/2026 AppImage runtime launcher for GeneralsXZH.
+# GeneralsX @bugfix GitHubCopilot 09/04/2026 Honor CNC_GENERALS_PATH and CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH with deterministic precedence.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+APPDIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${APPDIR}/usr/lib:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}"
+export DXVK_WSI_DRIVER="SDL3"
+export DXVK_LOG_LEVEL="${DXVK_LOG_LEVEL:-info}"
+export DXVK_HUD="${DXVK_HUD:-0}"
+
+has_big_files() {
+    local dir="$1"
+    [[ -d "${dir}" ]] || return 1
+    compgen -G "${dir}/*.big" > /dev/null
+}
+
+with_trailing_slash() {
+    local path="$1"
+    if [[ "${path}" == */ ]]; then
+        printf '%s' "${path}"
+    else
+        printf '%s/' "${path}"
+    fi
+}
+
+APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR=""
+if [[ -n "${APPIMAGE:-}" ]]; then
+    APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${APPIMAGE}")" && pwd)"
+fi
+LAUNCH_DIR="$(pwd)"
+
+# Resolve Zero Hour assets path (CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH)
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    if [[ ! -d "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH}" ]]; then
+        echo "WARNING: CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH='${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH}' does not exist; falling back to auto-detection"
+        unset CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH
+    else
+        export CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH}")"
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" && -n "${APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR}" ]] && has_big_files "${APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR}"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${APPIMAGE_HOST_DIR}")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" ]] && has_big_files "${LAUNCH_DIR}"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${LAUNCH_DIR}")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" ]] && has_big_files "${HOME}/GeneralsX/GeneralsZH"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${HOME}/GeneralsX/GeneralsZH")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" ]] && has_big_files "${HOME}/GeneralsX/GeneralsMD"; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${HOME}/GeneralsX/GeneralsMD")"
+fi
+
+# Resolve base Generals path (CNC_GENERALS_PATH / CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH)
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    if [[ ! -d "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}" ]]; then
+        echo "WARNING: CNC_GENERALS_PATH='${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}' does not exist; falling back to auto-detection"
+        unset CNC_GENERALS_PATH
+    else
+        export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}")"
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -n "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH:-}" && -d "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH}" ]]; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH}")"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -n "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    _zh_parent="$(cd "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH}/.." && pwd)"
+    if [[ -d "${_zh_parent}/Generals" ]]; then
+        export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${_zh_parent}/Generals")"
+    fi
+fi
+if [[ -z "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -d "${HOME}/GeneralsX/Generals" ]]; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_PATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${HOME}/GeneralsX/Generals")"
+fi
+
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" && -z "${CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH:-}" ]]; then
+    export CNC_GENERALS_INSTALLPATH="$(with_trailing_slash "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}")"
+fi
+
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    echo "INFO: AppImage assets path (ZH): ${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH}"
+    cd "${CNC_GENERALS_ZH_PATH}"
+fi
+if [[ -n "${CNC_GENERALS_PATH:-}" ]]; then
+    echo "INFO: AppImage base Generals path: ${CNC_GENERALS_PATH}"
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "${ALSOFT_DISABLE_CPU_EXTS:-}" ]]; then
+    export ALSOFT_DISABLE_CPU_EXTS="all"
+fi
+if [[ -z "${ALSOFT_DRIVERS:-}" ]]; then
+    export ALSOFT_DRIVERS="pulse,alsa,oss,jack,null,wave"
+fi
+
+exec "${APPDIR}/usr/bin/GeneralsXZH" "$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x "${APPDIR}/AppRun"
+
+cat > "${APPDIR}/GeneralsXZH.desktop" << 'EOF'
+[Desktop Entry]
+Type=Application
+Name=Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour (GeneralsXZH)
+Comment=Cross-platform Generals Zero Hour runtime
+Exec=GeneralsXZH
+Icon=GeneralsXZH
+Categories=Game;StrategyGame;
+Terminal=false
+EOF
+cp "${APPDIR}/GeneralsXZH.desktop" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/applications/GeneralsXZH.desktop"
+
+ICON_SRC=""
+if [[ -f "${ICON_SRC_ZH}" ]]; then
+    ICON_SRC="${ICON_SRC_ZH}"
+elif [[ -f "${ICON_SRC_FALLBACK}" ]]; then
+    ICON_SRC="${ICON_SRC_FALLBACK}"
+fi
+
+if [[ -z "${ICON_SRC}" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Missing icon assets. Expected one of:" >&2
+    echo "  ${ICON_SRC_ZH}" >&2
+    echo "  ${ICON_SRC_FALLBACK}" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+cp "${ICON_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/GeneralsXZH.png"
+cp "${ICON_SRC}" "${APPDIR}/usr/share/icons/hicolor/512x512/apps/GeneralsXZH.png"
+
+if command -v appimagetool >/dev/null 2>&1 && [[ -z "${CI:-}" ]]; then
+    APPIMAGETOOL_BIN="$(command -v appimagetool)"
+else
+    # GeneralsX @build GitHubCopilot 10/04/2026 Use pinned appimagetool artifact with mandatory SHA-256 verification for reproducible packaging.
+    APPIMAGETOOL_BIN="${APPIMAGE_ROOT}/appimagetool.AppImage"
+    mkdir -p "${APPIMAGE_ROOT}"
+    if [[ ! -f "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}" ]]; then
+        echo "Downloading appimagetool..."
+        curl -fL --retry 3 --output "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}" "${APPIMAGETOOL_URL}"
+    fi
+    verify_sha256_if_configured "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}"
+    chmod +x "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}"
+fi
+
+ARCH=x86_64 "${APPIMAGETOOL_BIN}" "${APPDIR}" "${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE}"
+
+echo "AppImage generated: ${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE}"
+echo "Run example:"
+echo "  chmod +x ${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE}"
+echo "  ${OUTPUT_APPIMAGE} -win"