diff --git a/executor.go b/executor.go
index 7a20b7c..e86dd34 100644
--- a/executor.go
+++ b/executor.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"regexp"
 	"slices"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"text/template"
 	"time"
@@ -136,55 +138,160 @@ func (e *Executor) runPlay(ctx context.Context, play *Play) error {
 		e.vars[k] = v
 	}
 
-	// Gather facts if needed
-	gatherFacts := play.GatherFacts == nil || *play.GatherFacts
-	if gatherFacts {
-		for _, host := range hosts {
-			if err := e.gatherFacts(ctx, host, play); err != nil {
-				// Non-fatal
-				if e.Verbose > 0 {
-					coreerr.Warn("gather facts failed", "host", host, "err", err)
+	for _, batch := range splitSerialHosts(hosts, play.Serial) {
+		if len(batch) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Gather facts if needed
+		gatherFacts := play.GatherFacts == nil || *play.GatherFacts
+		if gatherFacts {
+			for _, host := range batch {
+				if err := e.gatherFacts(ctx, host, play); err != nil {
+					// Non-fatal
+					if e.Verbose > 0 {
+						coreerr.Warn("gather facts failed", "host", host, "err", err)
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
-	}
 
-	// Execute pre_tasks
-	for _, task := range play.PreTasks {
-		if err := e.runTaskOnHosts(ctx, hosts, &task, play); err != nil {
+		// Execute pre_tasks
+		for _, task := range play.PreTasks {
+			if err := e.runTaskOnHosts(ctx, batch, &task, play); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Execute roles
+		for _, roleRef := range play.Roles {
+			if err := e.runRole(ctx, batch, &roleRef, play); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Execute tasks
+		for _, task := range play.Tasks {
+			if err := e.runTaskOnHosts(ctx, batch, &task, play); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Execute post_tasks
+		for _, task := range play.PostTasks {
+			if err := e.runTaskOnHosts(ctx, batch, &task, play); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Run notified handlers for this batch.
+		if err := e.runNotifiedHandlers(ctx, batch, play); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Execute roles
-	for _, roleRef := range play.Roles {
-		if err := e.runRole(ctx, hosts, &roleRef, play); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Execute tasks
-	for _, task := range play.Tasks {
-		if err := e.runTaskOnHosts(ctx, hosts, &task, play); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Execute post_tasks
-	for _, task := range play.PostTasks {
-		if err := e.runTaskOnHosts(ctx, hosts, &task, play); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Run notified handlers
-	if err := e.runNotifiedHandlers(ctx, hosts, play); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
+// splitSerialHosts splits a host list into serial batches.
+func splitSerialHosts(hosts []string, serial any) [][]string {
+	batchSize := resolveSerialBatchSize(serial, len(hosts))
+	if batchSize <= 0 || batchSize >= len(hosts) {
+		if len(hosts) == 0 {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return [][]string{hosts}
+	}
+
+	batches := make([][]string, 0, (len(hosts)+batchSize-1)/batchSize)
+	for len(hosts) > 0 {
+		size := batchSize
+		if size > len(hosts) {
+			size = len(hosts)
+		}
+		batch := append([]string(nil), hosts[:size]...)
+		batches = append(batches, batch)
+		hosts = hosts[size:]
+	}
+	return batches
+}
+
+// resolveSerialBatchSize converts a play serial value into a concrete batch size.
+func resolveSerialBatchSize(serial any, total int) int {
+	if total <= 0 {
+		return 0
+	}
+
+	switch v := serial.(type) {
+	case nil:
+		return total
+	case int:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return v
+		}
+	case int8:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case int16:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case int32:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case int64:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case uint:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case uint8:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case uint16:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case uint32:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case uint64:
+		if v > 0 {
+			return int(v)
+		}
+	case string:
+		s := corexTrimSpace(v)
+		if s == "" {
+			return total
+		}
+		if corexHasSuffix(s, "%") {
+			percent, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimSuffix(s, "%"))
+			if err == nil && percent > 0 {
+				size := (total*percent + 99) / 100
+				if size < 1 {
+					size = 1
+				}
+				if size > total {
+					size = total
+				}
+				return size
+			}
+			return total
+		}
+		if n, err := strconv.Atoi(s); err == nil && n > 0 {
+			return n
+		}
+	}
+
+	return total
+}
+
 // runRole executes a role on hosts.
 func (e *Executor) runRole(ctx context.Context, hosts []string, roleRef *RoleRef, play *Play) error {
 	// Check when condition
diff --git a/executor_test.go b/executor_test.go
index b575346..6e3b33b 100644
--- a/executor_test.go
+++ b/executor_test.go
@@ -207,6 +207,46 @@ func TestExecutor_RunTaskOnHosts_Good_RunOnceSharesRegisteredResult(t *testing.T
 	assert.Equal(t, "hello", e.results["host2"]["debug_result"].Msg)
 }
 
+func TestExecutor_RunPlay_Good_SerialBatchesHosts(t *testing.T) {
+	e := NewExecutor("/tmp")
+	e.SetInventoryDirect(&Inventory{
+		All: &InventoryGroup{
+			Hosts: map[string]*Host{
+				"host1": {},
+				"host2": {},
+				"host3": {},
+			},
+		},
+	})
+
+	gatherFacts := false
+	play := &Play{
+		Hosts:       "all",
+		GatherFacts: &gatherFacts,
+		Serial:      1,
+		Tasks: []Task{
+			{Name: "first", Module: "debug", Args: map[string]any{"msg": "one"}},
+			{Name: "second", Module: "debug", Args: map[string]any{"msg": "two"}},
+		},
+	}
+
+	var got []string
+	e.OnTaskStart = func(host string, task *Task) {
+		got = append(got, host+":"+task.Name)
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, e.runPlay(context.Background(), play))
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{
+		"host1:first",
+		"host1:second",
+		"host2:first",
+		"host2:second",
+		"host3:first",
+		"host3:second",
+	}, got)
+}
+
 func TestExecutor_RunTaskOnHost_Good_LoopControlPause(t *testing.T) {
 	e := NewExecutor("/tmp")
 	task := &Task{