diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/DriverReconnectE2eTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/DriverReconnectE2eTests.cs
index 645fbb5e..72c1ea61 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/DriverReconnectE2eTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/DriverReconnectE2eTests.cs
@@ -225,14 +225,7 @@ public sealed class DriverReconnectE2eTests
             CreatedBy = "test",
         });
 
-        db.Namespaces.Add(new Namespace
-        {
-            NamespaceId = "RECONNECT-E2E-equipment",
-            ClusterId = ClusterId,
-            Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment,
-            NamespaceUri = "urn:zb:reconnect-e2e:equipment",
-        });
-
+        // v3: the Namespace entity is deleted (DriverInstance no longer binds a Namespace).
         db.ClusterNodes.Add(new ClusterNode
         {
             NodeId = harness.NodeANodeId,
@@ -258,7 +251,6 @@ public sealed class DriverReconnectE2eTests
         {
             DriverInstanceId = DriverId,
             ClusterId = ClusterId,
-            NamespaceId = "RECONNECT-E2E-equipment",
             Name = DriverId,
             DriverType = "Modbus",
             Enabled = true,
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests.cs
index e95e2e1e..03fd19ca 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests.cs
@@ -13,20 +13,32 @@ using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Runtime.Drivers;
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests;
 
 /// <summary>
-/// End-to-end deploy of an Equipment-kind namespace through the <b>real</b>
-/// <c>ConfigComposer</c>: seed a 1-area / 1-line / 1-equipment / 1-tag Equipment namespace,
-/// <c>StartDeployment</c>, then assert the deployment's persisted artifact decodes (via
-/// <see cref="DeploymentArtifact.ParseComposition"/>) to the equipment signal + the friendly
-/// UNS folder name. This covers the <c>ConfigComposer → ArtifactBlob → ParseComposition.EquipmentTags</c>
-/// seam that the OpcUaServer unit tests only approximate with hand-built JSON.
+/// End-to-end deploy of a UNS folder hierarchy through the <b>real</b> <c>ConfigComposer</c>: seed a
+/// 1-area / 1-line / 1-equipment UNS plus a v3 raw-tag chain (RawFolder → DriverInstance → Device →
+/// Tag), <c>StartDeployment</c>, then assert the deployment's persisted artifact decodes (via
+/// <see cref="DeploymentArtifact.ParseComposition"/>).
+/// <para>
+/// <b>v3 DARK address space (Batch 1):</b> the composer + artifact deliberately emit an EMPTY
+/// equipment-tag plan set — raw-tag variable nodes are lit up in Batch 4's dual-namespace UNS↔Raw
+/// fan-out. So the live assertion here is the DARK contract: the Area/Line/Equipment folder nodes
+/// decode with their friendly UNS names, and <c>EquipmentTags</c> is empty EVEN THOUGH a raw tag was
+/// seeded. The full equipment-signal materialization (raw tag → EquipmentTag with FullName) is
+/// preserved as a Batch-4-pending Skipped test below (the plan explicitly says keep it, don't delete).
+/// </para>
 /// <para>
 /// The OPC UA address-space browse is exercised separately against a real SDK node manager in
-/// <c>AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests.Equipment_namespace_structure_materialises_end_to_end_against_real_SDK</c>,
-/// because the in-process <see cref="TwoNodeClusterHarness"/> binds the no-op address-space sink.
+/// <c>AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests</c>, because the in-process <see cref="TwoNodeClusterHarness"/>
+/// binds the no-op address-space sink.
 /// </para>
 /// </summary>
 public sealed class EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests
 {
+    private const string Batch4Pending =
+        "v3 dark address space: equipment-tag variable plans (raw tag → EquipmentTag with FullName) do " +
+        "not materialize until Batch 4 (dual-namespace UNS↔Raw fan-out). The composer + artifact emit an " +
+        "empty equipment-tag plan set this batch; re-enable this full-materialization assertion (re-authored " +
+        "against the UnsTagReference fan-out) when Batch 4 lights the raw/UNS variable nodes.";
+
     private static CancellationToken Ct => TestContext.Current.CancellationToken;
 
     // Equipment.EquipmentId must equal DraftValidator.DeriveEquipmentId(EquipmentUuid) — the
@@ -35,16 +47,18 @@ public sealed class EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests
     private static readonly Guid EquipmentUuid = Guid.Parse("11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111");
     private static readonly string EquipmentId = DraftValidator.DeriveEquipmentId(EquipmentUuid); // EQ-111111111111
 
-    /// <summary>Verifies a deployed Equipment namespace carries its signal into the composed artifact.</summary>
+    /// <summary>Verifies a deployed UNS hierarchy carries its Area/Line/Equipment folder nodes into the
+    /// composed artifact with their friendly UNS names, and — the v3 Batch-1 DARK contract — that the
+    /// equipment-tag plan set is EMPTY even though a raw tag was seeded (raw-tag variables are Batch 4).</summary>
     [Fact]
-    public async Task Deploying_an_equipment_namespace_carries_the_signal_into_the_artifact()
+    public async Task Deploying_a_uns_hierarchy_carries_folder_nodes_and_leaves_equipment_tags_dark()
     {
         await using var harness = await TwoNodeClusterHarness.StartAsync();
 
         // Seed the parent ServerCluster + ClusterNode rows the SQL FKs require (the c1 config below
         // FKs to ServerCluster; on the in-memory provider this is unnecessary — FKs aren't enforced).
         await harness.SeedDefaultClusterAsync("c1");
-        await SeedEquipmentNamespaceAsync(harness);
+        await SeedUnsHierarchyAsync(harness);
 
         await using var scope = harness.NodeA.Services.CreateAsyncScope();
         var client = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IAdminOperationsClient>();
@@ -71,47 +85,88 @@ public sealed class EquipmentNamespaceMaterializationTests
 
         var composition = DeploymentArtifact.ParseComposition(artifact);
 
-        // The real ConfigComposer serialised the equipment Tag (incl. its TagConfig), and
-        // ParseComposition extracted it as an EquipmentTag with FullName pulled from TagConfig.
+        // The UNS folder hierarchy decodes with its friendly UNS names (browse names), not MachineCodes.
+        composition.EquipmentNodes.ShouldContain(e => e.EquipmentId == EquipmentId && e.DisplayName == "station-1");
+        composition.UnsAreas.ShouldContain(a => a.UnsAreaId == "nw-area-filling" && a.DisplayName == "filling");
+        composition.UnsLines.ShouldContain(l => l.UnsLineId == "nw-line-1" && l.DisplayName == "line-1");
+
+        // v3 DARK contract: no equipment-tag variable plans materialize this batch — even though a raw
+        // tag ("Speed" / FullName 40001) was seeded under the device. Batch 4 lights these via the UNS↔Raw fan-out.
+        composition.EquipmentTags.ShouldBeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>BATCH-4-PENDING: the full equipment-signal materialization — the seeded raw tag decodes
+    /// (via the real ConfigComposer → ParseComposition) into an EquipmentTag carrying its FullName. Dark
+    /// until Batch 4's UNS↔Raw fan-out; preserved (not deleted) so re-enabling is a one-line change once
+    /// the equipment-tag plan set is lit up.</summary>
+    [Fact(Skip = Batch4Pending)]
+    public async Task Deploying_an_equipment_namespace_carries_the_signal_into_the_artifact()
+    {
+        await using var harness = await TwoNodeClusterHarness.StartAsync();
+        await harness.SeedDefaultClusterAsync("c1");
+        await SeedUnsHierarchyAsync(harness);
+
+        await using var scope = harness.NodeA.Services.CreateAsyncScope();
+        var client = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IAdminOperationsClient>();
+
+        var result = await client.StartDeploymentAsync(createdBy: "alice@test", Ct);
+        result.Outcome.ShouldBe(StartDeploymentOutcome.Accepted, $"Deploy not accepted: {result.Message}");
+        var deploymentId = result.DeploymentId!.Value.Value;
+
+        var artifact = Array.Empty<byte>();
+        await WaitForAsync(async () =>
+        {
+            await using var db = await CreateDbAsync(harness);
+            var d = await db.Deployments.AsNoTracking()
+                .FirstOrDefaultAsync(x => x.DeploymentId == deploymentId, Ct);
+            if (d is { ArtifactBlob.Length: > 0 })
+            {
+                artifact = d.ArtifactBlob;
+                return true;
+            }
+            return false;
+        }, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(15));
+
+        var composition = DeploymentArtifact.ParseComposition(artifact);
+
+        // Batch 4: the raw tag surfaces as an EquipmentTag with FullName pulled from TagConfig.
         var tag = composition.EquipmentTags.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
         tag.TagId.ShouldBe("tag-speed");
         tag.EquipmentId.ShouldBe(EquipmentId);
         tag.Name.ShouldBe("Speed");
         tag.DataType.ShouldBe("Float");
         tag.FullName.ShouldBe("40001");
-
-        // The equipment folder browses by its friendly UNS Name, not the MachineCode.
-        composition.EquipmentNodes.ShouldContain(e => e.EquipmentId == EquipmentId && e.DisplayName == "station-1");
-        composition.UnsAreas.ShouldContain(a => a.UnsAreaId == "nw-area-filling" && a.DisplayName == "filling");
-        composition.UnsLines.ShouldContain(l => l.UnsLineId == "nw-line-1" && l.DisplayName == "line-1");
     }
 
-    private static async Task SeedEquipmentNamespaceAsync(TwoNodeClusterHarness harness)
+    private static async Task SeedUnsHierarchyAsync(TwoNodeClusterHarness harness)
     {
         await using var db = await CreateDbAsync(harness);
 
-        db.Namespaces.Add(new Namespace
-        {
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq", ClusterId = "c1", Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment, NamespaceUri = "urn:eq",
-        });
+        // v3 raw-tag chain: RawFolder → DriverInstance(RawFolderId) → Device(DriverInstanceId) →
+        // Tag(DeviceId). The Namespace entity is deleted; equipment no longer binds a driver/device.
+        db.RawFolders.Add(new RawFolder { RawFolderId = "raw-plant", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "Plant" });
         // Disabled so the driver-role nodes don't spawn a live Modbus driver (no endpoint to reach);
         // the composition still carries the instance (ParseComposition does not filter on Enabled).
         db.DriverInstances.Add(new DriverInstance
         {
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", ClusterId = "c1", NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
+            DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", ClusterId = "c1", RawFolderId = "raw-plant",
             Name = "Modbus", DriverType = "Modbus", DriverConfig = "{}", Enabled = false,
         });
+        db.Devices.Add(new Device
+        {
+            DeviceId = "dev-1", DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus",
+            Name = "dev-1", DeviceConfig = "{}",
+        });
         db.UnsAreas.Add(new UnsArea { UnsAreaId = "nw-area-filling", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "filling" });
         db.UnsLines.Add(new UnsLine { UnsLineId = "nw-line-1", UnsAreaId = "nw-area-filling", Name = "line-1" });
         db.Equipment.Add(new Equipment
         {
             EquipmentId = EquipmentId, EquipmentUuid = EquipmentUuid,
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", UnsLineId = "nw-line-1",
-            Name = "station-1", MachineCode = "STATION_001",
+            UnsLineId = "nw-line-1", Name = "station-1", MachineCode = "STATION_001",
         });
         db.Tags.Add(new Tag
         {
-            TagId = "tag-speed", DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", EquipmentId = EquipmentId,
+            TagId = "tag-speed", DeviceId = "dev-1",
             Name = "Speed", DataType = "Float", AccessLevel = TagAccessLevel.Read,
             TagConfig = "{\"FullName\":\"40001\"}",
         });
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/MultiClusterScopingTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/MultiClusterScopingTests.cs
index a554b8d2..c7d75e5e 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/MultiClusterScopingTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Host.IntegrationTests/MultiClusterScopingTests.cs
@@ -120,17 +120,15 @@ public sealed class MultiClusterScopingTests
             NewCluster(MainCluster, "Main Cluster", "central"),
             NewCluster(SiteACluster, "Site A Cluster", "site-a"));
 
-        db.Namespaces.AddRange(
-            NewNamespace(MainCluster, "MAIN-equipment", "urn:zb:central:equipment"),
-            NewNamespace(SiteACluster, "SITE-A-equipment", "urn:zb:site-a:equipment"));
-
+        // v3: the Namespace entity is deleted (DriverInstance no longer binds a Namespace). Cluster
+        // scoping filters by NodeId/ClusterId, so the namespace seed is dropped here.
         db.ClusterNodes.AddRange(
             NewNode(mainNodeId, MainCluster, "urn:zb:central:node-a"),
             NewNode(siteANodeId, SiteACluster, "urn:zb:site-a:node-b"));
 
         db.DriverInstances.AddRange(
-            NewDriver(MainDriverId, MainCluster, "MAIN-equipment"),
-            NewDriver(SiteADriverId, SiteACluster, "SITE-A-equipment"));
+            NewDriver(MainDriverId, MainCluster),
+            NewDriver(SiteADriverId, SiteACluster));
 
         await db.SaveChangesAsync(Ct);
     }
@@ -146,14 +144,6 @@ public sealed class MultiClusterScopingTests
         CreatedBy = "test",
     };
 
-    private static Namespace NewNamespace(string clusterId, string namespaceId, string uri) => new()
-    {
-        NamespaceId = namespaceId,
-        ClusterId = clusterId,
-        Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment,
-        NamespaceUri = uri,
-    };
-
     private static ClusterNode NewNode(string nodeId, string clusterId, string applicationUri) => new()
     {
         NodeId = nodeId,
@@ -163,11 +153,10 @@ public sealed class MultiClusterScopingTests
         CreatedBy = "test",
     };
 
-    private static DriverInstance NewDriver(string driverInstanceId, string clusterId, string namespaceId) => new()
+    private static DriverInstance NewDriver(string driverInstanceId, string clusterId) => new()
     {
         DriverInstanceId = driverInstanceId,
         ClusterId = clusterId,
-        NamespaceId = namespaceId,
         Name = driverInstanceId,
         DriverType = "Modbus",
         Enabled = true,
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests.cs
index 6215eea9..14cc8f87 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests.cs
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests : IDisposable
     ///     network-browse E2E (Host.IntegrationTests) needs the docker-dev fixture and is tracked
     ///     as a follow-up.
     /// </summary>
-    [Fact]
+    [Fact(Skip = DarkAddressSpaceReasons.EquipmentTagsDarkBatch4)]
     public async Task Equipment_namespace_structure_materialises_end_to_end_against_real_SDK()
     {
         await using var host = new OpcUaApplicationHost(
@@ -183,20 +183,23 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceApplierHierarchyTests : IDisposable
         await host.StartAsync(sdkServer, Ct);
         sdkServer.NodeManager.ShouldNotBeNull();
 
-        // One area / line / equipment + a Modbus FK driver in an Equipment-kind namespace, with a
-        // single equipment-bound Tag (the signal). Equipment.Name is the UNS browse segment.
-        var ns = new Namespace { NamespaceId = "ns-eq", ClusterId = "c1", Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment, NamespaceUri = "urn:eq" };
-        var driver = new DriverInstance { DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", ClusterId = "c1", NamespaceId = "ns-eq", Name = "Modbus", DriverType = "Modbus", DriverConfig = "{}" };
+        // One area / line / equipment + a Modbus driver. v3: no Namespace entity, DriverInstance no
+        // longer binds a Namespace, and Equipment no longer binds a driver. The equipment-bound Tag
+        // (the Speed signal) that this end-to-end test materialised as a Variable node is DARK until
+        // Batch 4 — the composer emits an empty EquipmentTags set, so it is no longer seeded/passed
+        // here. Equipment.Name is the UNS browse segment. (Folder-only materialisation is covered live
+        // by the sibling MaterialiseHierarchy_against_real_SDK test; this suite's equipment-tag
+        // Variable end-to-end leg re-enables in Batch 4 via the UnsTagReference fan-out.)
+        var driver = new DriverInstance { DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "Modbus", DriverType = "Modbus", DriverConfig = "{}" };
         var area = new UnsArea { UnsAreaId = "nw-area-filling", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "filling" };
         var line = new UnsLine { UnsLineId = "nw-line-1", UnsAreaId = "nw-area-filling", Name = "line-1" };
-        var equipment = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-1", DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", UnsLineId = "nw-line-1", Name = "station-1", MachineCode = "STATION_001" };
-        var tag = new Tag { TagId = "tag-speed", DriverInstanceId = "drv-modbus", EquipmentId = "eq-1", Name = "Speed", DataType = "Float", AccessLevel = TagAccessLevel.Read, TagConfig = "{\"FullName\":\"40001\"}" };
+        var equipment = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-1", UnsLineId = "nw-line-1", Name = "station-1", MachineCode = "STATION_001" };
 
         var composition = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             new[] { area }, new[] { line }, new[] { equipment }, new[] { driver },
-            Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(), new[] { tag }, new[] { ns });
+            Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>());
 
-        // Compose-side EquipmentTags extraction.
+        // Compose-side EquipmentTags extraction (Batch-4 subject — empty this batch).
         var planned = composition.EquipmentTags.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
         planned.EquipmentId.ShouldBe("eq-1");
         planned.FullName.ShouldBe("40001");
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerAliasTagTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerAliasTagTests.cs
index c01d71c6..70138b07 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerAliasTagTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerAliasTagTests.cs
@@ -1,81 +1,30 @@
-using Shouldly;
 using Xunit;
-using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Entities;
-using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Enums;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests;
 
 /// <summary>
-///     Verifies the live-edit compose seam (<see cref="AddressSpaceComposer.Compose"/>) treats a Galaxy
-///     point as an ordinary equipment tag: <c>GalaxyMxGateway</c> is a standard Equipment-kind driver.
-///     An equipment-scoped <see cref="Tag"/> (non-null <see cref="Tag.EquipmentId"/>) bound to a
-///     <c>GalaxyMxGateway</c> driver living in an <c>Equipment</c>-kind namespace must surface under
-///     <see cref="AddressSpaceComposition.EquipmentTags"/> (carrying its driver-side FullName).
+///     Characterized the live-edit compose seam admitting a Galaxy point as an ordinary equipment tag:
+///     an equipment-scoped <c>Tag</c> bound to a <c>GalaxyMxGateway</c> driver surfaced under
+///     <see cref="AddressSpaceComposition.EquipmentTags"/> carrying its driver-side FullName (coalescing a
+///     null FolderPath to <c>string.Empty</c>).
+///     <para><b>v3 Batch-1 DARK + reshaped seed:</b> equipment-tag variable plans do not materialize until
+///     Batch 4 (the composer emits an empty <c>EquipmentTags</c> set — the raw + UNS variable nodes light
+///     up in Batch 4's dual-namespace UNS↔Raw fan-out). The seed mechanism this test used is also gone:
+///     <c>Tag</c> is now raw-only (no <c>EquipmentId</c>/<c>DriverInstanceId</c>/<c>FolderPath</c>), the
+///     Compose overload no longer takes tags/namespaces, and equipment references raw tags via
+///     <c>UnsTagReference</c> rather than a Galaxy point carrying an <c>EquipmentId</c>. So there is no
+///     Batch-1 analog to assert. Re-author against the UnsTagReference → EquipmentTags fan-out when Batch 4
+///     lights the equipment-tag variable nodes.</para>
 /// </summary>
 public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerAliasTagTests
 {
-    /// <summary>A <c>GalaxyMxGateway</c> driver in an Equipment-kind namespace carries an
-    /// equipment-scoped Galaxy tag (EquipmentId set, FolderPath null, TagConfig FullName = the Galaxy
-    /// ref). Compose must put it in EquipmentTags with its FullName, coalescing the null FolderPath to
-    /// <c>string.Empty</c>.</summary>
-    [Fact]
+    /// <summary>A <c>GalaxyMxGateway</c> equipment tag surfaces under EquipmentTags with its FullName —
+    /// dark until Batch 4 (empty equipment-tag plan set) and re-authored via UnsTagReference.</summary>
+    [Fact(Skip = DarkAddressSpaceReasons.EquipmentTagsDarkBatch4)]
     public void Compose_admits_galaxy_equipment_tag_in_equipment_tags()
     {
-        var ns = new Namespace
-        {
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
-            ClusterId = "c1",
-            Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment,
-            NamespaceUri = "urn:eq",
-        };
-        var driver = new DriverInstance
-        {
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-galaxy",
-            ClusterId = "c1",
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
-            Name = "Galaxy1",
-            DriverType = "GalaxyMxGateway",
-            DriverConfig = "{}",
-        };
-        var area = new UnsArea { UnsAreaId = "area-1", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "filling" };
-        var line = new UnsLine { UnsLineId = "line-1", UnsAreaId = "area-1", Name = "line-1" };
-        var equip = new Equipment
-        {
-            EquipmentId = "eq-1",
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-galaxy",
-            UnsLineId = "line-1",
-            Name = "TestMachine_020",
-            MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_020",
-        };
-
-        // Equipment-scoped Galaxy tag: EquipmentId set, FolderPath null, FullName = Galaxy ref.
-        var galaxyTag = new Tag
-        {
-            TagId = "tag-galaxy",
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-galaxy",
-            EquipmentId = "eq-1",
-            FolderPath = null,
-            Name = "TestChangingInt",
-            DataType = "Int32",
-            AccessLevel = TagAccessLevel.Read,
-            TagConfig = "{\"FullName\":\"TestMachine_020.TestChangingInt\"}",
-        };
-
-        var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
-            new[] { area }, new[] { line }, new[] { equip },
-            new[] { driver }, Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(),
-            new[] { galaxyTag }, new[] { ns });
-
-        // The Galaxy point survives composition as an equipment tag, carrying its Galaxy FullName.
-        var tag = result.EquipmentTags.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
-        tag.TagId.ShouldBe("tag-galaxy");
-        tag.EquipmentId.ShouldBe("eq-1");
-        tag.DriverInstanceId.ShouldBe("drv-galaxy");
-        tag.Name.ShouldBe("TestChangingInt");
-        tag.DataType.ShouldBe("Int32");
-        tag.FullName.ShouldBe("TestMachine_020.TestChangingInt");
-        // The input Tag.FolderPath is null; the composer coalesces it to string.Empty (the explicit
-        // byte-parity null-coalesce the artifact-decode side mirrors).
-        tag.FolderPath.ShouldBe(string.Empty);
+        // Dark until Batch 4: see class summary. EquipmentTags is emitted empty this batch and the
+        // Tag.EquipmentId binding this test relied on is retired (Tag is raw-only). The Batch-4 seam
+        // fans equipment tags in via UnsTagReference; re-author the assertion then.
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerDeviceHostTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerDeviceHostTests.cs
index 36285256..8393f9a3 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerDeviceHostTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerDeviceHostTests.cs
@@ -1,98 +1,27 @@
-using Shouldly;
 using Xunit;
-using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Entities;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests;
 
 /// <summary>
-///     Covers follow-up E projection: <see cref="EquipmentNode"/> carries the equipment's
-///     <c>DriverInstanceId</c> / <c>DeviceId</c> bindings and the resolved <c>DeviceHost</c> (parsed from
-///     the bound <see cref="Device"/>'s schemaless <c>DeviceConfig</c> JSON via the shared
-///     <c>DeviceConfigIntent.TryExtractHost</c>). A later task grafts a driver's discovered
-///     FixedTree onto a zero-tag equipment and partitions a multi-device driver by host using these.
-///     <para>The direct host-extraction + normalization unit tests moved to
-///     <c>Commons.Tests/DeviceConfigIntentTests</c> (R2-11) — this suite keeps the Compose-level projection
-///     coverage.</para>
+///     RETIRED (v3): this suite characterized follow-up E's <see cref="EquipmentNode"/> projection of an
+///     equipment's <c>DriverInstanceId</c> / <c>DeviceId</c> bindings + the resolved <c>DeviceHost</c>
+///     (parsed from the bound device's <c>DeviceConfig</c>). In v3 the equipment↔device binding is
+///     architecturally removed — <c>Equipment</c> no longer carries <c>DriverInstanceId</c>/<c>DeviceId</c>,
+///     <c>AddressSpaceComposer.Compose</c> no longer takes a <c>devices</c> list, and equipment references
+///     raw tags via <c>UnsTagReference</c> instead of hosting a device. <c>EquipmentNode</c>'s
+///     driver/device/host fields are therefore always null.
+///     <para>The coverage did not vanish, it moved: the device-endpoint merge is exercised by
+///     <c>Runtime.Tests.Drivers.DeploymentArtifactRawPathTests</c> (nested RawPath + device-endpoint merge),
+///     and the host-extraction/normalization unit lives in <c>Commons.Tests.DeviceConfigIntentTests</c>
+///     (R2-11). The Skipped placeholder below preserves the retirement rationale in test output.</para>
 /// </summary>
 public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerDeviceHostTests
 {
-    /// <summary>An equipment bound to a driver + a device whose config carries a top-level
-    /// <c>HostAddress</c> resolves all three fields, with the host trimmed + lower-cased.</summary>
-    [Fact]
+    [Fact(Skip = DarkAddressSpaceReasons.EquipmentDeviceBindingRetired)]
     public void Compose_resolves_driver_device_and_device_host()
     {
-        var equipment = new[] { NewEquipment("eq-1", driver: "d1", device: "dev1") };
-        var devices = new[] { NewDevice("dev1", "d1", "{\"HostAddress\":\"10.0.0.5:8193\"}") };
-
-        var node = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
-                Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), equipment,
-                Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(), devices: devices)
-            .EquipmentNodes.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
-
-        node.EquipmentId.ShouldBe("eq-1");
-        node.DriverInstanceId.ShouldBe("d1");
-        node.DeviceId.ShouldBe("dev1");
-        node.DeviceHost.ShouldBe("10.0.0.5:8193");
+        // Retired: see class summary. Equipment no longer binds a driver/device; the EquipmentNode
+        // driver/device/host projection is gone. Coverage moved to DeploymentArtifactRawPathTests
+        // (device-endpoint merge) + DeviceConfigIntentTests (host extraction).
     }
-
-    /// <summary>An equipment with no driver and no device → all three new fields null (driver-less,
-    /// no device to resolve a host from).</summary>
-    [Fact]
-    public void Compose_equipment_without_driver_or_device_yields_null_bindings()
-    {
-        var equipment = new[] { NewEquipment("eq-1", driver: null, device: null) };
-
-        var node = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
-                Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), equipment,
-                Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(), devices: Array.Empty<Device>())
-            .EquipmentNodes.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
-
-        node.DriverInstanceId.ShouldBeNull();
-        node.DeviceId.ShouldBeNull();
-        node.DeviceHost.ShouldBeNull();
-    }
-
-    /// <summary>A bound DeviceId with no matching device row, or a device whose config has no
-    /// <c>HostAddress</c>, resolves DeviceHost to null while DeviceId is still carried.</summary>
-    [Fact]
-    public void Compose_device_host_is_null_when_unresolvable()
-    {
-        var equipment = new[]
-        {
-            NewEquipment("eq-missing", driver: "d1", device: "dev-missing"),
-            NewEquipment("eq-nohost", driver: "d1", device: "dev-nohost"),
-        };
-        var devices = new[] { NewDevice("dev-nohost", "d1", "{\"Port\":502}") };
-
-        var nodes = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
-                Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), equipment,
-                Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(), devices: devices)
-            .EquipmentNodes;
-
-        var missing = nodes.Single(n => n.EquipmentId == "eq-missing");
-        missing.DeviceId.ShouldBe("dev-missing");
-        missing.DeviceHost.ShouldBeNull();
-
-        var noHost = nodes.Single(n => n.EquipmentId == "eq-nohost");
-        noHost.DeviceId.ShouldBe("dev-nohost");
-        noHost.DeviceHost.ShouldBeNull();
-    }
-
-    private static Equipment NewEquipment(string id, string? driver, string? device) => new()
-    {
-        EquipmentId = id,
-        DriverInstanceId = driver,
-        DeviceId = device,
-        UnsLineId = "line-1",
-        Name = id,
-        MachineCode = id.ToUpperInvariant(),
-    };
-
-    private static Device NewDevice(string deviceId, string driverInstanceId, string deviceConfig) => new()
-    {
-        DeviceId = deviceId,
-        DriverInstanceId = driverInstanceId,
-        Name = deviceId,
-        DeviceConfig = deviceConfig,
-    };
 }
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests.cs
index 3f216ab3..8f7c32c9 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 using Shouldly;
 using Xunit;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Entities;
-using ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.Configuration.Enums;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests;
 
@@ -10,6 +9,13 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests;
 /// reserved <c>{{equip}}</c> token in a shared VirtualTag script with each owning equipment's
 /// derived tag base (from its child-tag <c>FullName</c>s) — so one script reused across N
 /// identical machines resolves to N machine-specific dependency graphs.
+///
+/// <para><b>v3 Batch-1 DARK:</b> the per-equipment tag base is DERIVED from equipment-tag
+/// <c>FullName</c>s, and equipment-tag variable plans do not materialize until Batch 4 (the composer
+/// no longer takes tags — <c>baseByEquip</c> is empty this batch). With no base to substitute, the
+/// <c>{{equip}}</c> token stays literal and these per-machine assertions have nothing to compare, so
+/// the test is Skipped-with-reason. The seed + assertions are preserved verbatim (minus the retired
+/// entity columns) so re-enabling in Batch 4 is a one-line change once the fan-out feeds the base.</para>
 /// </summary>
 public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests
 {
@@ -17,21 +23,17 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests
     /// to two equipments (TestMachine_001 / _002) each with one equipment Tag whose FullName carries
     /// the per-machine base. Compose must expand the token per equipment in both the Expression and
     /// the parsed DependencyRefs.</summary>
-    [Fact]
+    [Fact(Skip = DarkAddressSpaceReasons.EquipmentTagsDarkBatch4)]
     public void Compose_substitutes_equip_token_per_equipment()
     {
-        var ns = new Namespace
-        {
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
-            ClusterId = "c1",
-            Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment,
-            NamespaceUri = "urn:eq",
-        };
+        // v3: no Namespace entity; DriverInstance no longer binds a Namespace; Equipment no longer
+        // binds a driver. In Batch 4 the {{equip}} base derives from the equipment's child-tag
+        // FullNames — here TestMachine_001.Source / TestMachine_002.Source — which flow through the
+        // (dark this batch) equipment-tag plan set. Seeded for intent; not passed to Compose.
         var driver1 = new DriverInstance
         {
             DriverInstanceId = "drv-1",
             ClusterId = "c1",
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
             Name = "Modbus1",
             DriverType = "Modbus",
             DriverConfig = "{}",
@@ -40,35 +42,14 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests
         {
             DriverInstanceId = "drv-2",
             ClusterId = "c1",
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
             Name = "Modbus2",
             DriverType = "Modbus",
             DriverConfig = "{}",
         };
         var area = new UnsArea { UnsAreaId = "area-1", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "filling" };
         var line = new UnsLine { UnsLineId = "line-1", UnsAreaId = "area-1", Name = "line-1" };
-        var equip1 = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-1", DriverInstanceId = "drv-1", UnsLineId = "line-1", Name = "TestMachine_001", MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_001" };
-        var equip2 = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-2", DriverInstanceId = "drv-2", UnsLineId = "line-1", Name = "TestMachine_002", MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_002" };
-        var tag1 = new Tag
-        {
-            TagId = "tag-1",
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-1",
-            EquipmentId = "eq-1",
-            Name = "Source",
-            DataType = "Int32",
-            AccessLevel = TagAccessLevel.Read,
-            TagConfig = "{\"FullName\":\"TestMachine_001.Source\",\"DataType\":\"Int32\"}",
-        };
-        var tag2 = new Tag
-        {
-            TagId = "tag-2",
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-2",
-            EquipmentId = "eq-2",
-            Name = "Source",
-            DataType = "Int32",
-            AccessLevel = TagAccessLevel.Read,
-            TagConfig = "{\"FullName\":\"TestMachine_002.Source\",\"DataType\":\"Int32\"}",
-        };
+        var equip1 = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-1", UnsLineId = "line-1", Name = "TestMachine_001", MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_001" };
+        var equip2 = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-2", UnsLineId = "line-1", Name = "TestMachine_002", MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_002" };
         var script = new Script
         {
             ScriptId = "s-equip",
@@ -82,7 +63,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerEquipTokenTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             new[] { area }, new[] { line }, new[] { equip1, equip2 },
             new[] { driver1, driver2 }, Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(),
-            new[] { tag1, tag2 }, new[] { ns },
             virtualTags: new[] { vt1, vt2 },
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests.cs
index 075cd5f9..13baacae 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests.cs
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(),
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             virtualTags: new[] { vt },
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
@@ -174,7 +173,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(),
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             virtualTags: new[] { vt },
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
@@ -200,7 +198,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(),
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             virtualTags: new[] { vt },
             scripts: Array.Empty<Script>());
 
@@ -213,7 +210,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests
     private static Equipment NewEquipment(string id) => new()
     {
         EquipmentId = id,
-        DriverInstanceId = "drv-1",
         UnsLineId = "line-1",
         Name = id,
         MachineCode = id.ToUpperInvariant(),
@@ -223,7 +219,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerPurityTests
     {
         DriverInstanceId = id,
         ClusterId = "cluster-1",
-        NamespaceId = "ns-1",
         Name = id,
         DriverType = "Stub",
         DriverConfig = "{\"k\":\"v\"}",
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests.cs
index c75dc3c3..615b214d 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests.cs
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { alarm1, alarm2 },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             virtualTags: Array.Empty<VirtualTag>(),
             scripts: new[] { script1, script2 });
 
@@ -121,7 +120,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { alarm },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
         var plan = result.EquipmentScriptedAlarms.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
@@ -158,7 +156,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { alarm },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
         var plan = result.EquipmentScriptedAlarms.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
@@ -202,7 +199,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { goodAlarm, orphanAlarm },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             scripts: new[] { goodScript });
 
         var plan = result.EquipmentScriptedAlarms.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
@@ -237,7 +233,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { alarm },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(),
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
         var plan = result.EquipmentScriptedAlarms.ShouldHaveSingleItem();
@@ -264,12 +259,12 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerScriptedAlarmTests
         var r1 = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { a1, a2, a3 },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(), scripts: scripts);
+            scripts: scripts);
 
         var r2 = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             Array.Empty<UnsArea>(), Array.Empty<UnsLine>(), Array.Empty<Equipment>(),
             Array.Empty<DriverInstance>(), new[] { a3, a1, a2 },
-            Array.Empty<Tag>(), Array.Empty<Namespace>(), scripts: scripts);
+            scripts: scripts);
 
         // Sorted by EquipmentId then ScriptedAlarmId: (eq-1,al-2), (eq-1,al-3), (eq-2,al-1).
         r1.EquipmentScriptedAlarms.Select(p => p.ScriptedAlarmId)
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerVirtualTagHistorizeTests.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerVirtualTagHistorizeTests.cs
index 92dc6c4a..5a92d0be 100644
--- a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerVirtualTagHistorizeTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/AddressSpaceComposerVirtualTagHistorizeTests.cs
@@ -17,35 +17,20 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerVirtualTagHistorizeTests
     [Fact]
     public void Compose_carries_virtual_tag_historize_flag_onto_plan()
     {
-        var ns = new Namespace
-        {
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
-            ClusterId = "c1",
-            Kind = NamespaceKind.Equipment,
-            NamespaceUri = "urn:eq",
-        };
+        // v3: no Namespace entity; DriverInstance no longer binds a Namespace; Equipment no longer
+        // binds a driver. The dependency tag is not seeded here — the composer no longer takes tags
+        // (they're dark until Batch 4) and the VirtualTag subject of this test is a LIVE surface.
         var driver = new DriverInstance
         {
             DriverInstanceId = "drv-1",
             ClusterId = "c1",
-            NamespaceId = "ns-eq",
             Name = "Modbus1",
             DriverType = "Modbus",
             DriverConfig = "{}",
         };
         var area = new UnsArea { UnsAreaId = "area-1", ClusterId = "c1", Name = "filling" };
         var line = new UnsLine { UnsLineId = "line-1", UnsAreaId = "area-1", Name = "line-1" };
-        var equip = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-1", DriverInstanceId = "drv-1", UnsLineId = "line-1", Name = "TestMachine_001", MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_001" };
-        var tag = new Tag
-        {
-            TagId = "tag-1",
-            DriverInstanceId = "drv-1",
-            EquipmentId = "eq-1",
-            Name = "Source",
-            DataType = "Int32",
-            AccessLevel = TagAccessLevel.Read,
-            TagConfig = "{\"FullName\":\"TestMachine_001.Source\",\"DataType\":\"Int32\"}",
-        };
+        var equip = new Equipment { EquipmentId = "eq-1", UnsLineId = "line-1", Name = "TestMachine_001", MachineCode = "TESTMACHINE_001" };
         var script = new Script
         {
             ScriptId = "s-1",
@@ -60,7 +45,6 @@ public sealed class AddressSpaceComposerVirtualTagHistorizeTests
         var result = AddressSpaceComposer.Compose(
             new[] { area }, new[] { line }, new[] { equip },
             new[] { driver }, Array.Empty<ScriptedAlarm>(),
-            new[] { tag }, new[] { ns },
             virtualTags: new[] { vtHist, vtPlain },
             scripts: new[] { script });
 
diff --git a/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/DarkAddressSpaceReasons.cs b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/DarkAddressSpaceReasons.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8716ac61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Server/ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests/DarkAddressSpaceReasons.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+namespace ZB.MOM.WW.OtOpcUa.OpcUaServer.Tests;
+
+/// <summary>
+///     Shared xUnit <c>Skip</c> reason constants for OpcUaServer tests whose intent is retained but
+///     whose subject is not materialized in the v3 Batch-1 DARK address space. The composer
+///     (<see cref="AddressSpaceComposer.Compose"/>) and the artifact both emit an EMPTY equipment-tag
+///     variable plan set this batch — raw + UNS variable nodes are lit up in Batch 4's dual-namespace
+///     UNS↔Raw fan-out. Until then any assertion whose subject is an equipment-tag variable node (its
+///     FullName, its <c>{{equip}}</c>-token-derived base, its device-host binding) has nothing to
+///     compare, so it is Skipped-with-reason rather than deleted. Mirrors
+///     <c>Runtime.Tests.Drivers.DarkAddressSpaceReasons</c>.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class DarkAddressSpaceReasons
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    ///     Equipment-tag variable materialization + its per-field intent (FullName / array / historize /
+    ///     native-alarm / <c>{{equip}}</c>-token base derived from child-tag FullNames) is dark until Batch 4.
+    /// </summary>
+    public const string EquipmentTagsDarkBatch4 =
+        "v3 dark address space: equipment-tag variable plans (FullName / array / historize / alarm / " +
+        "{{equip}}-token base derived from child-tag FullNames) do not materialize until Batch 4 " +
+        "(dual-namespace UNS↔Raw fan-out). The composer emits an empty equipment-tag plan set this batch, " +
+        "so there is no per-equipment tag base to substitute and no equipment-tag variable node to assert. " +
+        "Migrate + re-enable when Batch 4 lights the raw/UNS variable nodes.";
+
+    /// <summary>Equipment↔device host binding is architecturally retired in v3.</summary>
+    public const string EquipmentDeviceBindingRetired =
+        "v3: equipment no longer binds a driver/device — Equipment lost DriverInstanceId/DeviceId and " +
+        "Compose no longer takes a devices list, so EquipmentNode's DriverInstanceId/DeviceId/DeviceHost " +
+        "projection is always null. Equipment references raw tags via UnsTagReference. The device-endpoint " +
+        "merge this suite characterized now lives in Runtime.Tests DeploymentArtifactRawPathTests; the " +
+        "host-extraction unit is Commons.Tests DeviceConfigIntentTests.";
+}