diff --git a/hate_crack/noninteractive.py b/hate_crack/noninteractive.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..154e615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hate_crack/noninteractive.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""Non-interactive (scripted) attack entry points for hate_crack.
+
+These helpers translate parsed argparse namespaces into calls against the
+existing ``hcat*`` attack functions on the main module (passed in as ``ctx``,
+the same pattern ``attacks.py`` uses). See
+``docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-24-cli-noninteractive-design.md``.
+"""
+
+import os
+from typing import Any
+
+
+def build_rule_chains(ctx: Any, rule_tokens):
+    """Convert CLI ``--rules`` tokens into hashcat ``-r`` chain strings.
+
+    Each token becomes one attack pass. A token may chain multiple rule files
+    with ``+`` (mirroring the interactive rule selector). Filenames resolve
+    against ``ctx.rulesDirectory``. Returns ``[""]`` when no rules are given
+    (equivalent to the interactive "run without rules" choice).
+
+    Raises ``FileNotFoundError`` (with the offending filename as its argument)
+    if any named rule file is missing.
+    """
+    if not rule_tokens:
+        return [""]
+    chains = []
+    for token in rule_tokens:
+        chain = ""
+        for name in token.split("+"):
+            name = name.strip()
+            if not name:
+                continue
+            path = os.path.join(ctx.rulesDirectory, name)
+            if not os.path.isfile(path):
+                raise FileNotFoundError(name)
+            chain = f"{chain} -r {path}".strip()
+        chains.append(chain)
+    return chains
diff --git a/tests/test_noninteractive.py b/tests/test_noninteractive.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..194e801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_noninteractive.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+import os
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+
+from hate_crack import noninteractive as ni
+
+
+def _ctx_with_rules(tmp_path, *rule_names):
+    rules_dir = tmp_path / "rules"
+    rules_dir.mkdir()
+    for name in rule_names:
+        (rules_dir / name).write_text(":\n")
+    return SimpleNamespace(rulesDirectory=str(rules_dir))
+
+
+def test_build_rule_chains_no_rules_returns_empty_chain(tmp_path):
+    ctx = _ctx_with_rules(tmp_path)
+    assert ni.build_rule_chains(ctx, []) == [""]
+    assert ni.build_rule_chains(ctx, None) == [""]
+
+
+def test_build_rule_chains_single_rule(tmp_path):
+    ctx = _ctx_with_rules(tmp_path, "best64.rule")
+    chains = ni.build_rule_chains(ctx, ["best64.rule"])
+    expected = os.path.join(ctx.rulesDirectory, "best64.rule")
+    assert chains == [f"-r {expected}"]
+
+
+def test_build_rule_chains_chained_token(tmp_path):
+    ctx = _ctx_with_rules(tmp_path, "best64.rule", "d3ad0ne.rule")
+    chains = ni.build_rule_chains(ctx, ["best64.rule+d3ad0ne.rule"])
+    a = os.path.join(ctx.rulesDirectory, "best64.rule")
+    b = os.path.join(ctx.rulesDirectory, "d3ad0ne.rule")
+    assert chains == [f"-r {a} -r {b}"]
+
+
+def test_build_rule_chains_multiple_tokens_are_separate_passes(tmp_path):
+    ctx = _ctx_with_rules(tmp_path, "best64.rule", "d3ad0ne.rule")
+    chains = ni.build_rule_chains(ctx, ["best64.rule", "d3ad0ne.rule"])
+    assert len(chains) == 2
+
+
+def test_build_rule_chains_missing_file_raises(tmp_path):
+    ctx = _ctx_with_rules(tmp_path)
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+        ni.build_rule_chains(ctx, ["nope.rule"])