diff --git a/Components/9918/Implementation/9918Base.hpp b/Components/9918/Implementation/9918Base.hpp
index 9b1343081..5ecf72853 100644
--- a/Components/9918/Implementation/9918Base.hpp
+++ b/Components/9918/Implementation/9918Base.hpp
@@ -67,7 +67,12 @@ enum class MemoryAccess {
 };
 
 // Temporary buffers collect a representation of each line prior to pixel serialisation.
+//
+// TODO: either template on personality, to avoid having to be the union of all potential footprints,
+// or just stop keeping so many of these in the 9918.
 struct LineBuffer {
+	LineBuffer() {}
+
 	// The line mode describes the proper timing diagram for this line.
 	LineMode line_mode = LineMode::Text;
 
@@ -77,15 +82,25 @@ struct LineBuffer {
 
 	// The names array holds pattern names, as an offset into memory, and
 	// potentially flags also.
-	struct {
-		size_t offset = 0;
-		uint8_t flags = 0;
-	} names[40];
+	union {
+		// The TMS and Sega VDPs are close enough to always tile-based;
+		// this struct captures maximal potential detail there.
+		struct {
+			struct {
+				size_t offset = 0;
+				uint8_t flags = 0;
+			} names[40];
 
-	// The patterns array holds tile patterns, corresponding 1:1 with names.
-	// Four bytes per pattern is the maximum required by any
-	// currently-implemented VDP.
-	uint8_t patterns[40][4];
+			// The patterns array holds tile patterns, corresponding 1:1 with names.
+			// Four bytes per pattern is the maximum required by any
+			// currently-implemented VDP.
+			uint8_t patterns[40][4];
+		};
+
+		// The Yamaha VDP also has a variety of bitmap modes, the widest of which is
+		// 512px @ 4bpp.
+		uint8_t bitmap[256];
+	};
 
 	/*
 		Horizontal layout (on a 342-cycle clock):
diff --git a/Components/9918/Implementation/Fetch.hpp b/Components/9918/Implementation/Fetch.hpp
index 537fc492b..f8efc0034 100644
--- a/Components/9918/Implementation/Fetch.hpp
+++ b/Components/9918/Implementation/Fetch.hpp
@@ -480,6 +480,25 @@ template<bool use_end> void Base<personality>::fetch_yamaha_refresh(int start, i
 
 template <Personality personality>
 template<bool use_end, bool fetch_sprites> void Base<personality>::fetch_yamaha(int start, int end) {
+	/*
+		Per http://map.grauw.nl/articles/vdp-vram-timing/vdp-timing.html :
+
+		The major change compared to the previous mode is that now the VDP needs to fetch extra data
+		for the bitmap rendering. These fetches happen in 32 blocks of 4 bytes (screen 5/6) or
+		8 bytes (screen 7/8). The fetches within one block happen in burst mode. This means that
+		one block takes 18 cycles (screen 5/6) or 20 cycles (screen 7/8). Though later we'll see
+		that the two spare cycles for screen 5/6 are not used for anything else, so for simplicity
+		we can say that in all bitmap modes a bitmap-fetch-block takes 20 cycles. This is even
+		clearer if you look at the RAS signal: this signal follows the exact same pattern in all
+		(bitmap) screen modes, so in screen 5/6 it remains active for two cycles longer than
+		strictly necessary.
+
+		Actually before these 32 blocks there's one extra dummy block. This block has the same timing
+		as the other blocks, but it always reads address 0x1FFFF. From an emulator point of view,
+		these dummy reads don't matter, it only matters that at those moments no other VRAM accesses
+		can occur.
+	*/
+
 	(void)start;
 	(void)end;
 }