diff --git a/.github/workflows/stackhpc.yml b/.github/workflows/stackhpc.yml
index b08854adb..848517bb8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stackhpc.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stackhpc.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ on:
       - '!.gitignore'
       - '!.github/workflows/'
       - '.github/workflows/stackhpc'
+    branches:
+      - '!feat/compute-script'
 jobs:
   openstack:
     name: openstack-ci
diff --git a/ansible/.gitignore b/ansible/.gitignore
index 8edcc4360..02fb437f3 100644
--- a/ansible/.gitignore
+++ b/ansible/.gitignore
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ roles/*
 !roles/squid/**
 !roles/tuned/
 !roles/tuned/**
+!roles/compute_init/
+!roles/compute_init/**
 !roles/k3s/
 !roles/k3s/**
 !roles/k9s/
diff --git a/ansible/extras.yml b/ansible/extras.yml
index 107f85252..4cbe931b1 100644
--- a/ansible/extras.yml
+++ b/ansible/extras.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@
     - import_role:
         name: persist_hostkeys
 
+- name: Inject ansible-init compute script
+  hosts: compute_init
+  tags: compute_init
+  become: yes
+  tasks:
+    - import_role:
+        name: compute_init
+
 - name: Install k9s
   become: yes
   hosts: k9s
diff --git a/ansible/roles/compute_init/files/compute-init.yml b/ansible/roles/compute_init/files/compute-init.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..165700668
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/compute_init/files/compute-init.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,327 @@
+---
+
+- name: Compute node initialisation
+  hosts: localhost
+  become: yes
+  vars:
+    os_metadata: "{{ lookup('url', 'http://169.254.169.254/openstack/latest/meta_data.json') | from_json }}"
+    iam_slurm_compute: "{{ os_metadata.meta.slurm_compute | default(false) }}"
+    server_node_ip: "{{ os_metadata.meta.k3s_server }}"
+
+    resolv_conf_nameservers: [1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8]
+
+    nfs_configurations:
+      - nfs_export: "/exports/home"
+        nfs_client_mnt_options:
+        nfs_client_mnt_point: "/home"
+        nfs_client_mnt_state: mounted
+        nfs_server: "{{ server_node_ip }}"
+
+    os_manila_mount_state: mounted
+    os_manila_mount_opts:
+      - x-systemd.device-timeout=30
+      - x-systemd.mount-timeout=30
+      - noatime
+      - _netdev # prevents mount blocking early boot before networking available
+      - rw
+    os_manila_mount_ceph_conf_path: /etc/ceph
+
+    basic_users_manage_homedir: false
+    basic_users_userdefaults:
+      state: present
+      create_home: "{{ basic_users_manage_homedir }}"
+      generate_ssh_key: "{{ basic_users_manage_homedir }}"
+      ssh_key_comment: "{{ item.name }}"
+    test_user_password: "zXpcWyGQL7jtZnqylQra4g=="
+    basic_users_users:
+      - name: testuser # can't use rocky as $HOME isn't shared!
+        password: "{{ test_user_password | password_hash('sha512', 65534 | random(seed=inventory_hostname) | string) }}" # idempotent
+        uid: 1005
+    basic_users_groups: []
+
+    openhpc_conf_server: "{{ server_node_ip }}"
+
+  tasks:
+    - name: Skip initialization if slurm_compute metadata set to false
+      debug:
+        msg: "Skipping compute initialization"
+      when: not iam_slurm_compute | bool
+
+    - name: Configure resolve.conf
+      block:
+        - name: Set nameservers in /etc/resolv.conf
+          ansible.builtin.template:
+            src: /etc/ansible-init/templates/resolv.conf.j2
+            dest: /etc/resolv.conf
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+            mode: u=rw,og=r
+
+        - name: Disable NetworkManager control of resolv.conf
+          ansible.builtin.copy:
+            src: /etc/ansible-init/files/NetworkManager-dns-none.conf
+            dest: /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/90-dns-none.conf
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+            mode: u=rw,og=r
+          register: _copy_nm_config
+
+        - name: Reload NetworkManager
+          ansible.builtin.systemd:
+            name: NetworkManager
+            state: reloaded
+          when: _copy_nm_config.changed | default(false)
+      when: 
+        - resolv_conf_nameservers is defined and resolv_conf_nameservers | length > 0
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+
+
+    - name: Mount /mnt/cluster on compute nodes and copy hosts to /etc/hosts
+      block:
+        - name: Ensure the mount directory exists
+          file:
+            path: /mnt/cluster
+            state: directory
+            mode: 0755
+        
+        - name: Mount /mnt/cluster
+          mount:
+            path: /mnt/cluster
+            src: "{{ server_node_ip }}:/exports/cluster"
+            fstype: nfs
+            opts: rw,sync
+            state: mounted
+          register: nfs_mount_result
+          ignore_errors: true
+
+        - name: Fail gracefully if NFS mount is not available
+          debug:
+            msg: "NFS mount failed. Skipping compute initialization. Re-image if this persists."
+          when: nfs_mount_result.failed
+
+        - name: Copy /mnt/cluster/hosts contents to /etc/hosts
+          copy:
+            src: /mnt/cluster/hosts
+            dest: /etc/hosts
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+            mode: 0644
+          when: not nfs_mount_result.failed
+      when: iam_slurm_compute | bool
+
+
+    - name: Include hostvars from NFS share
+      block:
+        - name: Extract short hostname using a shell block
+          shell: |
+            HOSTNAME=$(hostname)
+            echo "${HOSTNAME%.test.invalid}"
+          register: short_hostname
+
+    #     - name: Include vars from NFS mount
+    #       include_vars:
+    #         file: "/mnt/cluster/{{ short_hostname.stdout }}/hostvars.yml"
+      when:
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+        - not nfs_mount_result.failed
+
+
+    - name: NFS client mount
+      block:
+        - name: ensure mount directory exists
+          file:
+            path: "{{ item.get('nfs_client_mnt_point', nfs_client_mnt_point) }}"
+            state: directory
+          loop: "{{ nfs_configurations }}"
+
+        - name: mount the filesystem
+          mount:
+            path: "{{ item.get('nfs_client_mnt_point', nfs_client_mnt_point) }}"
+            src: "{{ item.get('nfs_server', nfs_server) }}:{{ item.get('nfs_export', nfs_export) }}"
+            opts: "{{ item['nfs_client_mnt_options'] | default(nfs_client_mnt_options, true) | default(omit, true) }}" # for some reason items.get() here fails with "an incorrect mount option was specified"
+            fstype: nfs
+            state: "{{ item.get('nfs_client_mnt_state', nfs_client_mnt_state) }}"
+          loop: "{{ nfs_configurations }}"
+      when:
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+        - not nfs_mount_result.failed
+
+
+    - name: Manila mount
+      block:
+        - name: Read manila share info from nfs file
+          slurp:
+            src: "/mnt/cluster/manila_share_info.yml"
+          register: manila_share_info_file
+          no_log: true
+
+        - name: Parse and set fact for manila share info
+          set_fact:
+            os_manila_mount_share_info: "{{ manila_share_info_file.content | b64decode | from_yaml }}"
+
+        - name: Read manila shares from nfs file
+          slurp:
+            src: "/mnt/cluster/manila_shares.yml"
+          register: manila_shares_file
+
+        - name: Parse and set fact for manila shares
+          set_fact:
+            os_manila_mount_shares: "{{ manila_shares_file.content | b64decode | from_yaml }}"
+
+        - name: Ensure Ceph configuration directory exists
+          ansible.builtin.file:
+            path: "{{ os_manila_mount_ceph_conf_path }}"
+            state: directory
+            mode: "0755"
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+
+        - name: Configure ceph.conf using os_manila_mount_host
+          ansible.builtin.template:
+            src: /etc/ansible-init/templates/ceph.conf.j2
+            dest: "{{ os_manila_mount_ceph_conf_path }}/ceph.conf"
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+            mode: "0600"
+
+        - name: Ensure mount directory exists
+          ansible.builtin.file:
+            path: "{{ item.mount_path }}"
+            state: directory
+            owner: "{{ item.mount_user | default(omit) }}"
+            group: "{{ item.mount_group | default(omit) }}"
+            mode: "{{ item.mount_mode | default(omit) }}"
+          loop: "{{ os_manila_mount_shares }}"
+          loop_control:
+            label: "{{ item.share_name }}"
+
+        - name: Write Ceph client keyring
+          ansible.builtin.template:
+            src: /etc/ansible-init/templates/ceph.keyring.j2
+            dest: "{{ os_manila_mount_ceph_conf_path }}/ceph.client.{{ item.share_user }}.keyring"
+            mode: "0600"
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+          loop: "{{ os_manila_mount_share_info }}"
+          loop_control:
+            label: "{{ item.share_name }}"
+
+        - name: Mount the Ceph share
+          ansible.posix.mount:
+            path: "{{ item[0].mount_path }}"
+            src: "{{ item[1].host }}:{{ item[1].export }}"
+            fstype: ceph
+            opts: "name={{ item[1].share_user }},{{ (item[0].mount_opts | default(os_manila_mount_opts)) | join(',') }}"
+            # NB share_user is looked up here in case of autodetection
+            state: "{{ item[0].mount_state | default(os_manila_mount_state) }}"
+          loop: "{{ os_manila_mount_shares | zip(os_manila_mount_share_info) }}"
+          loop_control:
+            label: "{{ item[0].share_name }}"
+
+        - name: Ensure mounted directory has correct permissions
+          ansible.builtin.file:
+            path: "{{ item.mount_path }}"
+            state: directory
+            owner: "{{ item.mount_user | default(omit) }}"
+            group: "{{ item.mount_group | default(omit) }}"
+            mode: "{{ item.mount_mode | default(omit) }}"
+          loop: "{{ os_manila_mount_shares }}"
+          loop_control:
+            label: "{{ item.share_name }}"
+          when: item.mount_state | default(os_manila_mount_state) in ['mounted' or 'ephemeral']
+      when:
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+        - not nfs_mount_result.failed
+
+
+    - name: Basic users setup
+      block:
+        - name: Create groups
+          ansible.builtin.group: "{{ item }}"
+          loop:  "{{ basic_users_groups }}"
+
+        - name: Create users
+          user: "{{ basic_users_userdefaults | combine(item) | filter_user_params() }}"
+          loop: "{{ basic_users_users }}"
+          loop_control:
+            label: "{{ item.name }} [{{ item.state | default('present') }}]"
+          register: basic_users_info
+
+        - name: Write sudo rules
+          blockinfile:
+            path: /etc/sudoers.d/80-{{ item.name}}-user
+            block: "{{ item.sudo }}"
+            create: true
+          loop: "{{ basic_users_users }}"
+          loop_control:
+            label: "{{ item.name }}"
+          when: "'sudo' in item"
+      when:
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+        - not nfs_mount_result.failed
+
+
+    - name: Configure EESSI
+      block:
+        - name: Copy /mnt/cluster/cvmfs/default.local contents to /etc/cvmfs/default.local
+          copy:
+            src: /mnt/cluster/cvmfs/default.local
+            dest: /etc/cvmfs/default.local
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+            mode: 0644
+
+        # NOTE: Not clear how to make this idempotent
+        - name: Ensure CVMFS config is setup
+          command:
+            cmd: "cvmfs_config setup"
+      when:
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+        - not nfs_mount_result.failed
+
+
+    - name: Configure openhpc
+      block:
+        - name: Fix permissions on /etc to pass Munge startup checks
+          # Rocky-9-GenericCloud-Base-9.4-20240523.0.x86_64.qcow2 makes /etc g=rwx rather than g=rx (where group=root)
+          # which fails munged startup checks
+          file:
+            path: /etc
+            state: directory
+            mode: g-w
+
+        - name: Copy Munge key from NFS-mounted directory to /etc/munge
+          copy:
+            src: "/mnt/cluster/openhpc_munge.key"
+            dest: "/etc/munge/munge.key"
+            owner: munge
+            group: munge
+            mode: 0400
+
+        - name: Set slurmctld location for configless operation
+          lineinfile:
+            path: /etc/sysconfig/slurmd
+            line: "SLURMD_OPTIONS='--conf-server {{ openhpc_conf_server }}'"
+            regexp: "^SLURMD_OPTIONS="
+            create: yes
+            owner: root
+            group: root
+            mode: 0644
+
+        - name: Configure Munge service
+          service:
+            name: munge
+            enabled: true
+            state: started
+
+        - name: Ensure slurmd state
+          service:
+            name: slurmd
+            enabled: true
+            state: started
+
+        - name: Ensure node is in cluster
+          command: scontrol update state=resume nodename={{ short_hostname.stdout }}
+      when:
+        - iam_slurm_compute | bool
+        - not nfs_mount_result.failed
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ansible/roles/compute_init/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/compute_init/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5513a80a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/compute_init/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+---
+
+- name: Ensure directories exist
+  file:
+    path: "/etc/ansible-init/{{ item }}"
+    state: directory
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0755
+  loop:
+    - templates
+    - files
+    - library
+    - filter_plugins
+
+- name: Inject templates
+  copy:
+    src: '{{ item }}'
+    dest: '/etc/ansible-init/templates/{{ item | basename }}'
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  loop:
+    - ../../resolv_conf/templates/resolv.conf.j2
+    - ../../stackhpc.os-manila-mount/templates/ceph.conf.j2
+    - ../../stackhpc.os-manila-mount/templates/ceph.keyring.j2
+
+- name: Inject files
+  copy:
+    src: '{{ item }}'
+    dest: '/etc/ansible-init/files/{{ item | basename }}'
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  loop:
+    - ../../resolv_conf/files/NetworkManager-dns-none.conf
+
+- name: Inject libraries
+  copy:
+    src: '{{ item }}'
+    dest: '/etc/ansible-init/library/{{ item | basename }}'
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  loop:
+    - ../../basic_users/library/terminate_user_sessions.py
+    - ../../stackhpc.os-manila-mount/library/os_manila_share.py
+    - ../../stackhpc.openhpc/library/sacct_cluster.py
+
+- name: Inject filter_plugins
+  copy:
+    src: '{{ item }}'
+    dest: '/etc/ansible-init/filter_plugins/{{ item | basename }}'
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  loop:
+    - ../../basic_users/filter_plugins/filter_keys.py
+    - ../../stackhpc.openhpc/filter_plugins/slurm_conf.py
+
+- name: Add filter_plugins ansible.cfg
+  lineinfile:
+    path: /etc/ansible-init/ansible.cfg
+    line: "filter_plugins = /etc/ansible-init/filter_plugins"
+    state: present
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+
+- name: Ensure nfs /exports/cluster configured
+  block:
+    - name: Ensure the /exports/cluster directory exists
+      file:
+        path: /exports/cluster
+        state: directory
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: 0755
+
+    - name: Copy /etc/hosts to /exports/cluster
+      copy:
+        src: /etc/hosts
+        dest: /exports/cluster/hosts
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: 0644
+        remote_src: true
+
+    - name: Copy manila share info to /exports/cluster
+      copy:
+        content: "{{ os_manila_mount_share_info | to_nice_yaml }}"
+        dest: "/exports/cluster/manila_share_info.yml"
+      when: os_manila_mount_share_info is defined
+      
+    - name: Copy manila mount shares to /exports/cluster
+      copy:
+        content: "{{ os_manila_mount_shares | to_nice_yaml }}"
+        dest: "/exports/cluster/manila_shares.yml"
+      when: os_manila_mount_shares is defined
+
+    - name: Ensure /exports/cluster/cvmfs directory exists
+      file:
+        path: /exports/cluster/cvmfs
+        state: directory
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: 0755
+
+    - name: Copy EESSI CVMFS config to /exports/cluster
+      copy:
+        src: /etc/cvmfs/default.local
+        dest: /exports/cluster/cvmfs/default.local
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: 0644
+        remote_src: true
+
+    - name: Write openhpc munge key
+      copy:
+        content: "{{ vault_openhpc_mungekey | b64decode }}"
+        dest: "/exports/cluster/openhpc_munge.key"
+        owner: munge
+        group: munge
+        mode: 0400
+
+    # - name: Ensure /exports/cluster/inventory_hostname directory exists
+    #   file:
+    #     path: /exports/cluster/{{ inventory_hostname }}
+    #     state: directory
+    #     owner: root
+    #     group: root
+    #     mode: 0755
+
+    # - name: Template hostvars
+    #   template:
+    #     src: ../templates/hostvars.j2
+    #     dest: "/exports/cluster/{{ inventory_hostname }}/hostvars.yml"
+    #     owner: root
+    #     group: root
+    #     mode: 0644
+
+  delegate_to: "{{ groups['control'] | first }}"
+
+- name: Inject compute initialisation playbook
+  copy:
+    src: compute-init.yml
+    dest: /etc/ansible-init/playbooks/compute-init.yml
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/nfs.yml b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/nfs.yml
index bd340b190..84371c99a 100644
--- a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/nfs.yml
+++ b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/nfs.yml
@@ -15,3 +15,9 @@ nfs_configurations:
     nfs_server: "{{ nfs_server_default }}"
     nfs_export: "/exports/home" # assumes skeleton TF is being used
     nfs_client_mnt_point: "/home"
+
+  - comment: Export /exports/cluster from Slurm control node
+    nfs_enable:
+        server: "{{ inventory_hostname in groups['control'] }}"
+        clients: false
+    nfs_export: "/exports/cluster" # control node has to copy in /etc/hosts to here
diff --git a/environments/common/inventory/groups b/environments/common/inventory/groups
index 9b9aa5bf0..ba846777c 100644
--- a/environments/common/inventory/groups
+++ b/environments/common/inventory/groups
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ freeipa_client
 [ansible_init]
 # Hosts to run linux-anisble-init
 
+[compute_init]
+# Hosts to deploy compute initialisation ansible-init script to.
+
 [k3s]
 # Hosts to run k3s server/agent
 
diff --git a/environments/common/layouts/everything b/environments/common/layouts/everything
index ba5cbc08d..5ada017e1 100644
--- a/environments/common/layouts/everything
+++ b/environments/common/layouts/everything
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ openhpc
 # Hosts to run ansible-init
 cluster
 
+[compute_init:children]
+# Hosts to deploy compute initialisation ansible-init script to.
+cluster
+
 [k3s:children]
 # Hosts to run k3s server/agent
 openhpc