diff --git a/lib/mom/instruction.rb b/lib/mom/instruction.rb
index 8608e1bb..5b5ed6ee 100644
--- a/lib/mom/instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/instruction.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ module Mom
     def initialize(name)
       @name = name
     end
+    def to_risc(compiler)
+      Risc::Label.new(self,name) 
+    end
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/mom/message_setup.rb b/lib/mom/message_setup.rb
index d779392b..a03d6423 100644
--- a/lib/mom/message_setup.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/message_setup.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ module Mom
     def initialize(method)
         @method = method
     end
+
+    def to_risc(compiler)
+      Risc::Label.new(self,method.name) 
+    end
+
   end
 
 
diff --git a/lib/mom/not_same_check.rb b/lib/mom/not_same_check.rb
index 43efb855..60081bb4 100644
--- a/lib/mom/not_same_check.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/not_same_check.rb
@@ -12,5 +12,9 @@ module Mom
     def initialize(left, right)
       @left , @right  = left , right
     end
+
+    def to_risc(compiler)
+      Risc::Label.new(self,"nosense") 
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/mom/slot_load.rb b/lib/mom/slot_load.rb
index 1bcdd9db..fa2d0423 100644
--- a/lib/mom/slot_load.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/slot_load.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ module Mom
       raise "left not SlotDefinition, #{left}" unless left.is_a? SlotDefinition
 #      raise "right not Mom, #{right.to_rxf}" unless right.class.name.include?("Mom")
     end
+
+    def to_risc(compiler)
+      Risc::Label.new(self,"nosense")
+    end
+
   end
 
   # A SlotConstant moves a constant into a known Slot.
@@ -52,6 +57,9 @@ module Mom
 
   #SlotMove is a SlotLoad where the right side is a slot, just like the left.
   class SlotMove < SlotLoad
+    def to_risc(compiler)
+
+    end
   end
 
   class SlotDefinition
diff --git a/lib/mom/statement.rb b/lib/mom/statement.rb
index 33d8a7af..9b7cc8d1 100644
--- a/lib/mom/statement.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/statement.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 module Mom
   class Statement
+    include Common::List
     # flattening will change the structure from a tree to a linked list (and use
     # nekst to do so)
     def flatten(options = {})
@@ -18,6 +19,12 @@ module Mom
       flat
     end
 
+    def initialize(arr)
+      super(arr)
+      arr.each {|s|
+        raise "Not a Statement #{s}" unless s.is_a?( Statement) or s.is_a?(Instruction)
+      }
+    end
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/lib/mom/truth_check.rb b/lib/mom/truth_check.rb
index b4ce6d78..d167303a 100644
--- a/lib/mom/truth_check.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/truth_check.rb
@@ -18,5 +18,10 @@ module Mom
     def initialize(condition)
       @condition  = condition
     end
+
+    def to_risc(compiler)
+      Risc::Label.new(self,"nosense")
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/mom/while_statement.rb b/lib/mom/while_statement.rb
index 531f3a97..4c801cd9 100644
--- a/lib/mom/while_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/while_statement.rb
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ module Mom
     end
 
     def flatten(options = {})
-      cond_label = Label.new( "cond_label_#{object_id}")
-      head = cond_label
-      head.append hoisted.flatten
       merge_label = Label.new( "merge_label_#{object_id}")
-      head.append condition.flatten( true_label: cond_label , false_label: merge_label)
-      head.append merge_label
-      head
+      cond_label = Label.new( "cond_label_#{object_id}")
+      @nekst = cond_label
+      @nekst.append(hoisted.flatten) if hoisted
+      @nekst.append condition.flatten( true_label: cond_label , false_label: merge_label)
+      @nekst.append merge_label
+      @nekst
     end
 
   end
diff --git a/lib/risc/instruction.rb b/lib/risc/instruction.rb
index 7777d9df..26d7f8cd 100644
--- a/lib/risc/instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/risc/instruction.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module Risc
       @source = source
       @next = nekst
       return unless source
-      raise "Source must be string or ast node, not #{source.class}" unless source.is_a?(String) or source.is_a?(Vm::Code)
+      raise "Source must be string or ast node, not #{source.class}" unless source.is_a?(String) or source.is_a?(Mom::Instruction)
     end
     attr_reader :source
 
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb b/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb
index f18e8926..59416816 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb
@@ -33,14 +33,10 @@ module Vool
       locals_type = make_locals
       method = Parfait::VoolMethod.new(name , args_type , locals_type , body )
       @clazz.add_method( method )
-    end
-
-    def compile_methods(clazz , methods)
-      methods.each do |method|
-        code = Passes::MethodCompiler.new(method).get_code
-        typed_method = method.create_parfait_method(clazz.instance_type)
-        Risc::MethodCompiler.new( typed_method ).init_method.process( code )
-      end
+      typed_method = method.create_parfait_method(clazz.instance_type)
+      compiler = Risc::MethodCompiler.new( typed_method ).init_method
+      head = @body.to_mom( method ).flatten
+      head.to_risc(compiler)
     end
 
     private
diff --git a/test/mom/to_risc/helper.rb b/test/mom/to_risc/helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..958c6e9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/mom/to_risc/helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+require_relative '../helper'
+
+module Risc
+  module SpaceHack
+    # test hack to in place change object type
+    def add_space_field(name,type)
+      class_type = Parfait.object_space.get_class_by_name(:Space).instance_type
+      class_type.send(:private_add_instance_variable, name , type)
+    end
+  end
+  module ExpressionHelper
+    include SpaceHack
+
+    def check
+      Risc.machine.boot unless Risc.machine.booted
+      compiler = Vm::MethodCompiler.new Parfait.object_space.get_main
+      code = Vm.ast_to_code @input
+      assert code.to_s , @input
+      produced = compiler.process( code )
+      assert @output , "No output given"
+      assert_equal produced.class , @output , "Wrong class"
+      produced
+    end
+
+  end
+
+  module Statements
+    include AST::Sexp
+    include CleanCompile
+    include SpaceHack
+
+    def setup
+      Risc.machine.boot # force boot to reset main
+    end
+
+    def preamble
+      [Label, SlotToReg , LoadConstant, RegToSlot, LoadConstant,RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, SlotToReg ]
+    end
+    def postamble
+      [ Label, FunctionReturn]
+    end
+    def check_nil
+      assert @expect , "No output given"
+
+      Vool::VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool "class Space; def main(arg);#{@input};end;end"
+
+      produced = Parfait.object_space.get_main.instructions
+      compare_instructions produced , @expect
+    end
+    def check_return
+      was = check_nil
+      raise was if was
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.instructions
+    end
+
+    def compare_instructions( instruction , expect )
+      index = 0
+      all = instruction.to_arr
+      full_expect = preamble + expect + postamble
+      full_expect =  expect
+      begin
+        should = full_expect[index]
+        return "No instruction at #{index}" unless should
+        return "Expected at #{index+1}\n#{should(all)}" unless instruction.class == should
+        index += 1
+        instruction = instruction.next
+      end while( instruction )
+      nil
+    end
+    def should( all )
+      #preamble.each {all.shift}
+      #postamble.each {all.pop}
+      str = all.to_s.gsub("Risc::","")
+      ret = ""
+      str.split(",").each_slice(6).each do |line|
+        ret += "                " + line.join(",") + " ,\n"
+      end
+      ret
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/mom/to_risc/test_assignment.rb b/test/mom/to_risc/test_assignment.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea28dad7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/mom/to_risc/test_assignment.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+
+require_relative 'helper'
+
+module Risc
+  class TestAssignStatement < MiniTest::Test
+    include Statements
+
+    def test_assign_op
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_local(:r , :Integer)
+
+      @input    = "r = 10.mod4"
+
+      @expect = [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      assert_nil msg = check_nil , msg
+    end
+
+    def pest_assign_ivar_notpresent
+      @input =s(:statements, s(:i_assignment, s(:ivar, :r), s(:int, 5)))
+      @expect =  []
+      assert_raises{ check_nil }
+    end
+
+    def pest_assign_ivar
+      add_space_field(:r , :Integer)
+
+      @input =s(:statements, s(:i_assignment, s(:ivar, :r), s(:int, 5)))
+
+      @expect =  [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg ,
+                 RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      assert_nil msg = check_nil , msg
+    end
+
+    def pest_assign_local_assign
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_local(:r , :Integer)
+
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:l_assignment, s(:local, :r), s(:int, 5)))
+
+      @expect = [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg ,
+               RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      assert_nil msg = check_nil , msg
+    end
+
+    def pest_assign_call
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_local(:r , :Object)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:l_assignment, s(:local, :r), s(:call, :main, s(:arguments))))
+      @expect = [Label, SlotToReg, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, RegToSlot ,
+               LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, RegToSlot, RiscTransfer ,
+               FunctionCall, Label, RiscTransfer, SlotToReg, SlotToReg, SlotToReg ,
+               RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      assert_nil msg = check_nil , msg
+    end
+
+    def pest_named_list_get
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_local(:r , :Integer)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:l_assignment, s(:local, :r), s(:int, 5)), s(:return, s(:local, :r)))
+      @expect = [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, SlotToReg, SlotToReg ,
+                 RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      was = check_return
+      get = was.next(5)
+      assert_equal SlotToReg , get.class
+      assert_equal 1 + 1, get.index , "Get to named_list index must be offset, not #{get.index}"
+    end
+
+    def pest_assign_local_int
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_local(:r , :Integer)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:l_assignment, s(:local, :r), s(:int, 5)) )
+      @expect =  [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg ,
+                 RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      was = check_return
+      set = was.next(3)
+      assert_equal RegToSlot , set.class
+      assert_equal 1 + 1, set.index , "Set to named_list index must be offset, not #{set.index}"
+    end
+
+    def pest_misassign_local
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_local(:r , :Integer)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:l_assignment, s(:local, :r), s(:string, "5")) )
+      @expect =  [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      assert_raises {check }
+    end
+
+    def pest_assign_arg
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_argument(:blar , :Integer)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:a_assignment, s(:arg, :blar), s(:int, 5)))
+      @expect = [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg ,
+                 RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      was = check_return
+      set = was.next(3)
+      assert_equal RegToSlot , set.class
+      assert_equal 1 + 1, set.index , "Set to args index must be offset, not #{set.index}"
+    end
+
+    def pest_misassign_arg
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_argument(:blar , :Integer)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:a_assignment, s(:arg, :blar), s(:string, "5")))
+      @expect =  [Label, LoadConstant, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      assert_raises {check }
+    end
+
+    def pest_arg_get
+      # have to define bar externally, just because redefining main. Otherwise that would be automatic
+      Parfait.object_space.get_main.add_argument(:balr , :Integer)
+      @input = s(:statements, s(:return, s(:arg, :balr)))
+      @expect = [Label, SlotToReg, SlotToReg, RegToSlot, LoadConstant, SlotToReg ,
+                 RegToSlot, Label, FunctionReturn]
+      was = check_return
+      get = was.next(2)
+      assert_equal SlotToReg , get.class
+      assert_equal 1 + 1, get.index , "Get to args index must be offset, not #{get.index}"
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/vool/compilers/test_class_compiler.rb b/test/vool/compilers/test_class_compiler.rb
index 7ff2bbb2..a0ce7486 100644
--- a/test/vool/compilers/test_class_compiler.rb
+++ b/test/vool/compilers/test_class_compiler.rb
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@ module Vool
     end
 
     def test_compile_class_one
-      itest = compile_in_test "def meth; @ivar; end"
+      itest = compile_in_test "def meth; @ivar = 5; end"
       assert itest.instance_type.names.include?(:ivar) , itest.instance_type.names.inspect
     end
 
     def test_compile_class_two
-      itest = compile_in_test "def meth; @ivar; end;def meth2(arg); @trivar = 5; end"
+      itest = compile_in_test "def meth; @ivar = 5; end;def meth2(arg); @trivar = 5; end"
       assert itest.instance_type.names.include?(:trivar) , itest.instance_type.names.inspect
     end
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ module Vool
     end
 
     def test_class_body_is_scope
-      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar ;end")
+      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar = 5 ;end")
       assert_equal ScopeStatement , clazz.body.class
     end
 
diff --git a/test/vool/compilers/test_method_compiler.rb b/test/vool/compilers/test_method_compiler.rb
index d732bbd4..efed063b 100644
--- a/test/vool/compilers/test_method_compiler.rb
+++ b/test/vool/compilers/test_method_compiler.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module Vool
     end
 
     def create_method
-      VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar ;end")
+      VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar = 5;end")
       test = Parfait.object_space.get_class_by_name(:Test)
       test.get_method(:meth)
     end
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module Vool
     def test_method_has_source
       method = create_method
       assert_equal ScopeStatement ,  method.source.class
-      assert_equal InstanceVariable ,  method.source.statements.first.class
+      assert_equal IvarAssignment ,  method.source.statements.first.class
     end
 
     def test_method_has_no_locals
@@ -36,24 +36,23 @@ module Vool
       assert_equal Parfait::VoolMethod , method.class
     end
 
-
     def test_creates_method_statement_in_class
-      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar ;end")
+      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar = 5 ;end")
       assert_equal MethodStatement , clazz.body.statements.first.class
     end
 
     def test_parfait_class_creation
-      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar ;end")
+      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar = 5;end")
       assert_equal Parfait::Class , clazz.body.statements.first.clazz.class
     end
 
     def test_method_statement_has_class
-      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar ;end")
+      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool in_Test("def meth; @ivar = 5;end")
       assert clazz.body.statements.first.clazz
     end
 
     def test_method_statement_has_class_in_main
-      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool as_main("def meth; @ivar ;end")
+      clazz = VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool as_main("def meth; @ivar = 5;end")
       assert clazz.body.statements.first.clazz
     end