diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a1b3ffc..8e3c2dc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,15 +43,32 @@ ansible-galaxy collection install patrickj.infrastructure
 
 ## Quick Start
 
+### Proxmox API Configuration
+
+Set up your Proxmox API connection variables in group vars:
+
+```yaml
+# group_vars/all.yml
+proxmox_api_host: "10.0.1.1"
+proxmox_api_port: 8006
+proxmox_api_user: "automation@pve"
+proxmox_api_token_id: "mytoken"
+proxmox_api_token_secret: "{{ vault_proxmox_token }}"
+proxmox_api_validate_certs: false
+proxmox_node: "pve01"
+```
+
 ### Basic Proxmox LXC Container Setup
+
 ```yaml
 - name: Create and start an LXC container
   hosts: localhost
   connection: local
   vars:
-    - container_hostname: new-debian-container
-    - os_template: "local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst"
-    - container_ipv4: "10.0.0.99"
+    lxc_vmid: 100
+    lxc_hostname: new-debian-container
+    lxc_template: "local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst"
+    lxc_ipv4: "10.0.0.99/24"
   roles:
     - role: proxmox_lxc_provision
 
@@ -64,7 +81,7 @@ ansible-galaxy collection install patrickj.infrastructure
       vars:
         password: "{{ admin_password }}"
         ssh_pubkey_file: "~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub"
-    
+
     - include_role:
         name: patrickj.infrastructure.nvidia_drivers
       vars:
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/README.md b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/README.md
index b2ce6d6..aae126b 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/README.md
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/README.md
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ It also includes tasks which may be used individually:
 - `update.yml`: Updates an existing LXC container
 - `wait.yml`: Waits for SSH to be available on the container
 - `check-exists.yml`: Checks the existence of the LXC with the given hostname
+
 ## Requirements
 
-- Ansible 2.9 or higher
+- Ansible 2.12 or higher
 - Python 3.6 or higher
 - requests
 - proxmoxer
@@ -24,126 +25,159 @@ It also includes tasks which may be used individually:
 
 ## Role Variables
 
-### Required Variables
-
-| Variable | Description | Example |
-|----------|-------------|---------|
-| `container_template` | The OS template to create the LXC from. Mutually exclusive with `clone_from`| `local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst` |
-| `clone_from` | The vmid of the container or template container to clone the LXC from. Mutually exclusive with `container_template` | `201` |
-
-### Required Proxmox API Authentication Variables
-
-**Note:** These should be defined in `group_vars/all.yml` as part of the `proxmox_api_connection` dictionary:
-
-```yaml
-# group_vars/all.yml
-proxmox_api_connection:
-  api_host: "{{ proxmox_api_host }}"
-  api_port: "{{ proxmox_api_port }}"
-  api_user: "{{ proxmox_api_user }}"
-  api_token_id: "{{ proxmox_api_token_id }}"
-  api_token_secret: "{{ proxmox_api_token_secret }}"
-  validate_certs: "{{ proxmox_api_validate_certs }}"
-```
+### Required Proxmox API Variables
 
 | Variable | Description | Example |
 |----------|-------------|---------|
+| `proxmox_api_host` | The IP address or hostname of the Proxmox server | `192.168.1.10` |
 | `proxmox_api_user` | The username for Proxmox authentication, typically in format `username@realm` | `ansible@pve` |
 | `proxmox_api_token_id` | The API token ID used for authentication | `token` |
-| `proxmox_api_token_secret` | The secret key associated with the API token | `xxx-yyy-zzz` (should be stored securely) |
-| `proxmox_api_host` | The IP address or hostname of the Proxmox server | `192.168.1.10` |
-| `proxmox_api_port` | The port on which the Proxmox API is listening | `8006` |
-| `proxmox_node` | The name of the Proxmox node to target | `server1` |
-| `proxmox_api_validate_certs` | Whether to validate SSL certificates (set to false for self-signed certs) | `false` |
+| `proxmox_api_token_secret` | The secret key associated with the API token | `xxx-yyy-zzz` |
+| `proxmox_node` | The name of the Proxmox node to target | `pve01` |
 
-
-### Optional Variables
+### Optional Proxmox API Variables
 
 | Variable | Description | Default |
 |----------|-------------|---------|
-| `lxc_clone_type` | Only use with `lxc_clone_from`. Supports `full` and `linked` clones. | `full` |
-| `lxc_storage` | Target storage for the container  | `local-zfs` |
+| `proxmox_api_port` | The port on which the Proxmox API is listening | `8006` |
+| `proxmox_api_validate_certs` | Whether to validate SSL certificates | `false` |
+
+### Required Container Variables
+
+| Variable | Description | Example |
+|----------|-------------|---------|
+| `lxc_template` | The OS template to create the LXC from. Mutually exclusive with `lxc_clone_from` | `local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst` |
+| `lxc_clone_from` | The vmid of the container or template to clone. Mutually exclusive with `lxc_template` | `201` |
+| `lxc_hostname` | The hostname for the container | `my-container` |
+| `lxc_vmid` | The VM ID for the container | `100` |
+
+### Optional Container Variables
+
+| Variable | Description | Default |
+|----------|-------------|---------|
+| `lxc_clone_type` | Clone type when using `lxc_clone_from` | `full` |
+| `lxc_storage` | Target storage for the container | `local-zfs` |
+| `lxc_size` | Disk size in GB | `16` |
 | `lxc_disk` | The target storage and storage size | `local-zfs:16` |
-| `lxc_password` | The password for the root account | `password123` |
+| `lxc_password` | The password for the root account | - |
 | `lxc_cores` | The number of CPU cores | `4` |
-| `lxc_memory` | Memory size in MB for container | `2048` |
+| `lxc_memory` | Memory size in MB | `2048` |
 | `lxc_swap` | Swap memory size in MB | `2048` |
 | `lxc_ipv4` | The IPv4 address | `dhcp` |
 | `lxc_ipv6` | The IPv6 address | `auto` |
-| `lxc_pubkey_file` | The SSH public key for authentication to root user | Creates a temp key in  `/tmp` |
-| `lxc_features` | List of additional container features | `- nesting=1` |
+| `lxc_gateway` | The default gateway | `10.0.0.1` |
+| `lxc_nameserver` | DNS nameserver | `10.0.0.7` |
+| `lxc_pubkey_file` | Path to SSH public key file | `~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub` |
+| `lxc_features` | List of container features | `["nesting=1"]` |
+| `lxc_tags` | Tags for the container | `["ansible-managed"]` |
+| `lxc_start` | Start container after creation | `true` |
 
 
 ## Example Playbook
 
 ### Prerequisites
 
-First, set up your Proxmox API connection in group vars:
+Set up your Proxmox API connection variables in group vars:
 
 ```yaml
 # group_vars/all.yml
-proxmox_api_connection:
-  api_host: "10.0.1.1"
-  api_port: 8006
-  api_user: "automation@pve"
-  api_token_id: "mytoken"
-  api_token_secret: "{{ vault_proxmox_token }}"
-  validate_certs: false
-
+proxmox_api_host: "10.0.1.1"
+proxmox_api_port: 8006
+proxmox_api_user: "automation@pve"
+proxmox_api_token_id: "mytoken"
+proxmox_api_token_secret: "{{ vault_proxmox_token }}"
+proxmox_api_validate_certs: false
 proxmox_node: "pve01"
 ```
 
 ### Creating a new LXC from template
+
 ```yaml
 - name: Create and start an LXC container
   hosts: localhost
   connection: local
   vars:
+    lxc_vmid: 100
     lxc_hostname: new-debian-container
     lxc_template: "local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst"
-    lxc_ipv4: "10.0.0.99"
+    lxc_ipv4: "10.0.0.99/24"
   roles:
     - role: proxmox_lxc_provision
 ```
 
-### Creating a new LXC by cloning an existing container with vmid 200
+### Creating a new LXC by cloning an existing container
+
 ```yaml
-- name: Create and start an LXC container
+- name: Clone an LXC container
   hosts: localhost
   connection: local
   vars:
-    lxc_hostname: new-debian-container
+    lxc_vmid: 101
+    lxc_hostname: cloned-container
     lxc_clone_from: 200
-    lxc_ipv4: "10.0.0.99"
+    lxc_ipv4: "10.0.0.100/24"
   roles:
     - role: proxmox_lxc_provision
 ```
 
 ### Idempotent Behavior
 
-The role now includes idempotency checking. If a container with the specified `container_vmid` already exists, the role will skip provisioning and exit gracefully.
+The role includes idempotency checking. If a container with the specified `lxc_vmid` already exists, the role will skip provisioning and exit gracefully.
 
+### Using Standalone Tasks
+
+When using individual task files via `tasks_from`, you must set `module_defaults` at the play level since the tasks bypass the role's main entry point:
+
+```yaml
+- name: Convert container to a template
+  hosts: localhost
+  module_defaults:
+    community.general.proxmox:
+      api_host: "{{ proxmox_api_host }}"
+      api_port: "{{ proxmox_api_port }}"
+      api_user: "{{ proxmox_api_user }}"
+      api_token_id: "{{ proxmox_api_token_id }}"
+      api_token_secret: "{{ proxmox_api_token_secret }}"
+      validate_certs: "{{ proxmox_api_validate_certs }}"
+      node: "{{ proxmox_node }}"
+  vars:
+    lxc_hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
+  tasks:
+    - include_role:
+        name: proxmox_lxc_provision
+        tasks_from: convert
+```
+
+### Creating an LXC Container and Converting it to a Template
 
-#### Creating an LXC Container and Converting it to a Template
 ```yaml
 ---
 - name: Create and start an LXC container
   hosts: localhost
   connection: local
   vars:
-    - container_hostname: "{{ container_hostname }}"
-    - os_template: "local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst"
-    - container_ipv4: "10.0.0.99"
+    lxc_vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid }}"
+    lxc_hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
+    lxc_template: "local:vztmpl/debian-12_amd64.tar.zst"
+    lxc_ipv4: "10.0.0.99/24"
   roles:
     - role: proxmox_lxc_provision
 
-# Run configuration tasks on the container
-# ...
+# Run configuration tasks on the container...
 
 - name: Convert the created container to a template
   hosts: localhost
+  module_defaults:
+    community.general.proxmox:
+      api_host: "{{ proxmox_api_host }}"
+      api_port: "{{ proxmox_api_port }}"
+      api_user: "{{ proxmox_api_user }}"
+      api_token_id: "{{ proxmox_api_token_id }}"
+      api_token_secret: "{{ proxmox_api_token_secret }}"
+      validate_certs: "{{ proxmox_api_validate_certs }}"
+      node: "{{ proxmox_node }}"
   vars:
-    container_hostname: "{{ container_hostname }}"
+    lxc_hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
   tasks:
     - include_role:
         name: proxmox_lxc_provision
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/defaults/main.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/defaults/main.yml
index 3fbb7b9..39ff794 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 ---
+# Proxmox API connection defaults (optional)
+proxmox_api_port: 8006
+proxmox_api_validate_certs: false
+
+# LXC defaults
 lxc_template: "local:vztmpl/debian-12-standard_12.12-1_amd64.tar.zst"
 lxc_cores: 4
 lxc_memory: 2048
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/check-exists.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/check-exists.yml
index 596a7ec..98243fe 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/check-exists.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/check-exists.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - name: Query Proxmox for existing LXCs
-  community.proxmox.proxmox_lxc_info:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
+  community.proxmox.proxmox_lxc_info: {}
   register: proxmox_lxcs
 
 - name: Check if LXC with hostname already exists
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/clone.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/clone.yml
index 2212f58..00cd1bb 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/clone.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/clone.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - name: Create a full clone of the container
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
     vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid | default(0) }}"
     clone: "{{ lxc_clone_from }}"
     clone_type: "{{ lxc_clone_type }}"
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@
   become: yes
   register: resize_result
   changed_when: resize_result.rc == 0 and 'already at specified size' not in resize_result.stderr
-  failed_when: 
+  failed_when:
     - resize_result.rc != 0
     - "'already at specified size' not in resize_result.stderr"
   when: lxc_size is defined
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/convert.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/convert.yml
index 048f916..593c095 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/convert.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/convert.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 ---
-- ansible.builtin.include_tasks: stop.yaml
+- ansible.builtin.include_tasks: stop.yml
+
 - name: Convert container to template
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
-
-    state: template
     hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
+    state: template
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/create.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/create.yml
index c12fd8f..7727fba 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/create.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/create.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - name: Create an LXC container
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
     vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid | default(omit) }}"
     hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
     password: "{{ lxc_password }}"
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/delete.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/delete.yml
index 2c40c2a..c703c8f 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/delete.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/delete.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 ---
-- ansible.builtin.include_tasks: stop.yaml
+- ansible.builtin.include_tasks: stop.yml
+
 - name: Delete a container
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
     vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid | default(omit) }}"
     hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname | default(omit) }}"
     state: absent
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/main.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/main.yml
index eac864a..d37b5e2 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,50 +1,66 @@
 ---
-- name: Check if container exists
-  community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
-    vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid }}"
-    state: current
-  register: existing_container
-  ignore_errors: true
-
-- name: Skip if container already exists
-  meta: end_host
-  when: existing_container is succeeded
-
-- name: Container source must be defined (lxc_clone_from or lxc_template)
-  ansible.builtin.fail:
-    msg: "Neither lxc_clone_from or lxc_template are defined"
-  when: lxc_clone_from is undefined and lxc_template is undefined
-
-- name: Clone container from another container or template, then update
-  when: lxc_clone_from is defined
+- name: Proxmox LXC provision
+  module_defaults:
+    community.general.proxmox: &proxmox_defaults
+      api_host: "{{ proxmox_api_host }}"
+      api_port: "{{ proxmox_api_port }}"
+      api_user: "{{ proxmox_api_user }}"
+      api_token_id: "{{ proxmox_api_token_id }}"
+      api_token_secret: "{{ proxmox_api_token_secret }}"
+      validate_certs: "{{ proxmox_api_validate_certs }}"
+      node: "{{ proxmox_node }}"
+    community.proxmox.proxmox_lxc_info: *proxmox_defaults
   block:
-    - name: Clone from template
-      ansible.builtin.include_tasks: clone.yaml
-      register: clone_result
+    - name: Check if container exists
+      community.general.proxmox:
+        vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid }}"
+        state: current
+      register: existing_container
+      ignore_errors: true
 
-    - name: Update container
-      ansible.builtin.include_tasks: update.yaml
+    - name: Skip if container already exists
+      meta: end_host
+      when: existing_container is succeeded
+
+    - name: Container source must be defined (lxc_clone_from or lxc_template)
+      ansible.builtin.fail:
+        msg: "Neither lxc_clone_from or lxc_template are defined"
+      when: lxc_clone_from is undefined and lxc_template is undefined
+
+    - name: Clone container from another container or template, then update
+      when: lxc_clone_from is defined
+      block:
+        - name: Clone from template
+          ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
+            file: clone.yml
+          register: clone_result
+
+        - name: Update container
+          ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
+            file: update.yml
+          vars:
+            lxc_vmid: "{{ clone_result.vmid }}"
+          register: lxc_result
+
+    - name: Create the new container
+      ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
+        file: create.yml
+      when: lxc_template is defined and lxc_clone_from is undefined
+
+    - name: Start the created container and wait for ssh
       vars:
-        lxc_vmid: "{{ clone_result.vmid }}"
-      register: lxc_result
+        lxc_vmid: "{{ lxc_result.vmid }}"
+      ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
+        file: "{{ item }}"
+      loop:
+        - start.yml
+        - wait.yml
+      when: lxc_start
 
-- name: Create the new container
-  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: create.yaml
-  when: lxc_template is defined and lxc_clone_from is undefined
-
-- name: Start the created container and wait for ssh
-  vars:
-    lxc_vmid: "{{ lxc_result.vmid }}"
-  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: "{{ item }}"
-  loop:
-    - start.yaml
-    - wait.yaml
-  when: lxc_start
-
-- name: Post clone updates
-  when: lxc_clone_from is defined
-  delegate_to: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
-  block:
-    - name: Include post-clone tasks
-      ansible.builtin.include_tasks: post-clone.yaml
+    - name: Post clone updates
+      when: lxc_clone_from is defined
+      delegate_to: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
+      block:
+        - name: Include post-clone tasks
+          ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
+            file: post-clone.yml
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/start.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/start.yml
index 492eb0d..088fc24 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/start.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/start.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - name: Start the LXC container
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
     vmid: "{{ lxc_result.vmid }}"
     state: started
   register: start_result
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/stop.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/stop.yml
index a721f70..06fc385 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/stop.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/stop.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 ---
 - name: Stop container if it is running
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
     vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid | default(omit) }}"
     hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname | default(omit) }}"
-    state: "stopped"
+    state: stopped
   register: stop_result
   failed_when: |-
     stop_result.failed and
diff --git a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/update.yml b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/update.yml
index afd5ed4..ad3ecb6 100755
--- a/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/update.yml
+++ b/roles/proxmox_lxc_provision/tasks/update.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 ---
 - name: Update an LXC container
   community.general.proxmox:
-    <<: "{{ proxmox_api_connection }}"
     vmid: "{{ lxc_vmid }}"
     hostname: "{{ lxc_hostname }}"
-    password: "{{ lxc_password | default(omit) }}" # Updating password does not work
+    password: "{{ lxc_password | default(omit) }}"
     cores: "{{ lxc_cores }}"
     memory: "{{ lxc_memory }}"
     swap: "{{ lxc_swap }}"