diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
index 7ffd18841..a2330ff92 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.
 
 **Desktop (please complete the following information):**
  - OS: [e.g. mac/linux/windows]
- - Version [e.g. 1.3.8]
+ - Version [e.g. 1.3.9]
 
 **Additional context**
 Add any other context about the problem here.
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4bf40deac..9536399a0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10.0)
 set(CMAKE_OSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET "10.9" CACHE STRING "Minimum OS X deployment version")
-project(Griddly VERSION 1.3.8)
+project(Griddly VERSION 1.3.9)
 
 set(BINARY ${CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME})
 
diff --git a/bindings/python.cpp b/bindings/python.cpp
index d545626f7..07c6fd88f 100644
--- a/bindings/python.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ namespace griddly {
 
 PYBIND11_MODULE(python_griddly, m) {
   m.doc() = "Griddly python bindings";
-  m.attr("version") = "1.3.8";
+  m.attr("version") = "1.3.9";
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
   spdlog::set_level(spdlog::level::debug);
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index dd2f1b4f9..16d830b03 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 author = 'Chris Bamford'
 
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags
-release = '1.3.8'
+release = '1.3.9'
 
 
 # -- General configuration ---------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/js/jiddly-app/package.json b/js/jiddly-app/package.json
index 622adde4d..7104ea641 100644
--- a/js/jiddly-app/package.json
+++ b/js/jiddly-app/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "jiddly-app",
-  "version": "1.3.8",
+  "version": "1.3.9",
   "private": true,
   "dependencies": {
     "@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core": "^6.1.1",
diff --git a/python/setup.py b/python/setup.py
index 1e7ee8318..1d028cef2 100644
--- a/python/setup.py
+++ b/python/setup.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def griddly_package_data(config='Debug'):
 
 setup(
     name='griddly',
-    version="1.3.8",
+    version="1.3.9",
     author_email="chrisbam4d@gmail.com",
     description="Griddly Python Libraries",
     long_description=long_description,
diff --git a/src/Griddly/Core/GDY/GDYFactory.cpp b/src/Griddly/Core/GDY/GDYFactory.cpp
index 262cc040b..019cdfe04 100644
--- a/src/Griddly/Core/GDY/GDYFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/Griddly/Core/GDY/GDYFactory.cpp
@@ -206,6 +206,22 @@ VectorObserverConfig GDYFactory::parseNamedVectorObserverConfig(std::string obse
   config.includeRotation = resolveObserverConfigValue<bool>("IncludeRotation", observerConfigNode, config.includeRotation, !isGlobalObserver);
   config.includeVariables = resolveObserverConfigValue<bool>("IncludeVariables", observerConfigNode, config.includeVariables, !isGlobalObserver);
 
+  auto globalVariableMappingNode = observerConfigNode["GlobalVariableMapping"];
+
+  if (globalVariableMappingNode.IsDefined()) {
+    const auto& globalEntityVariables = singleOrListNodeToList(globalVariableMappingNode);
+
+    for (const auto& globalEntityVariable : globalEntityVariables) {
+      if (globalVariableDefinitions_.find(globalEntityVariable) == globalVariableDefinitions_.end()) {
+        std::string error = fmt::format("No global variable with name {0} in GlobalVariableMapping feature configuration.", globalEntityVariable);
+        spdlog::error(error);
+        throw std::invalid_argument(error);
+      }
+    }
+
+    config.globalVariableMapping = globalEntityVariables;
+  }
+
   return config;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.cpp b/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.cpp
index 32f6e55de..6b7e19d59 100644
--- a/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.cpp
+++ b/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ void VectorObserver::resetShape() {
     spdlog::debug("Adding {0} variable channels at: {1}", observationChannels_ - channelsBeforeVariables_, channelsBeforeVariables_);
   }
 
+  if (config_.globalVariableMapping.size() > 0) {
+    channelsBeforeGlobalVariables_ = observationChannels_;
+    observationChannels_ += static_cast<uint32_t>(config_.globalVariableMapping.size());
+    spdlog::debug("Adding {0} global variable channels at: {1}", observationChannels_ - channelsBeforeGlobalVariables_, channelsBeforeGlobalVariables_);
+  }
+
   observationShape_ = {observationChannels_, gridWidth_, gridHeight_};
   observationStrides_ = {1, observationChannels_, observationChannels_ * gridWidth_};
 
@@ -237,6 +243,27 @@ uint8_t& VectorObserver::update() {
         }
       }
     }
+
+    // Sellotape the chosen global variables onto the obs
+    if (config_.globalVariableMapping.size() > 0) {
+    const auto& globalVariables = grid_->getGlobalVariables();
+    uint32_t globalVariableIdx = 0;
+    for (const auto& variableName : config_.globalVariableMapping) {
+      const auto& variable = globalVariables.at(variableName);
+
+      auto value = variable.size() > 1 ? variable.at(config_.playerId) : variable.at(0);
+
+      for (auto x = 0; x < gridWidth_; x++) {
+        for (auto y = 0; y < gridHeight_; y++) {
+          auto memPtr = observation_.get() + observationChannels_ * (gridWidth_ * y + x);
+          auto globalVariableMemPtr = memPtr + channelsBeforeGlobalVariables_ + globalVariableIdx;
+          *globalVariableMemPtr = *value;
+        }
+      }
+      globalVariableIdx++;
+    }
+  }
+
   }
 
   spdlog::debug("Purging update locations.");
diff --git a/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.hpp b/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.hpp
index ea067a2b2..63930405b 100644
--- a/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.hpp
+++ b/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserver.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ struct VectorObserverConfig : public ObserverConfig {
   bool includeVariables = false;
   bool includeRotation = false;
   bool includePlayerId = false;
+  std::vector<std::string> globalVariableMapping{};
 };
 
 class VectorObserver : public Observer, public TensorObservationInterface, public ObserverConfigInterface<VectorObserverConfig> {
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ class VectorObserver : public Observer, public TensorObservationInterface, publi
   uint32_t channelsBeforePlayerCount_;
   uint32_t channelsBeforeRotation_;
   uint32_t channelsBeforeVariables_;
+  uint32_t channelsBeforeGlobalVariables_;
 
   VectorObserverConfig config_;
 };
diff --git a/tests/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserverTest.cpp b/tests/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserverTest.cpp
index 7573ed9ca..734ac1ec1 100644
--- a/tests/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserverTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/Griddly/Core/Observers/VectorObserverTest.cpp
@@ -478,6 +478,26 @@ TEST(VectorObserverTest, partialObserver_withOffset_trackAvatar_rotateWithAvatar
   runVectorObserverTest(config, Direction::LEFT, {4, 5, 3}, {1, 4, 20}, expectedData[0][0]);
 }
 
+TEST(VectorObserverTest, defaultObserver_global_variables) {
+  VectorObserverConfig config = {
+      5,
+      5,
+      0,
+      0,
+      false, false};
+  
+  config.globalVariableMapping = {"lightingR", "lightingB"};
+
+  uint8_t expectedData[5][5][6] = {
+      {{1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}},
+      {{1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 1, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 0, 1, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}},
+      {{1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 1, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 0, 0, 1, 50, 100}, {0, 0, 1, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}},
+      {{1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 0, 1, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {0, 1, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}},
+      {{1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 50, 100}}};
+
+  runVectorObserverTest(config, Direction::NONE, {6, 5, 5}, {1, 6, 30}, expectedData[0][0]);
+}
+
 TEST(VectorObserverTest, multiPlayer_Outline_Player1) {
   VectorObserverConfig config = {5, 5, 0, 0};
   config.playerId = 1;