At the beginning of combat, every participant rolls an Initiative check, 1d20 + their Agility + their Elan. The result is their Initiative score - the character with the highest Initiative actions first, followed by the second highest, and so on, until all characters have acted and the order proceeds again. One loop down the initiative chart is called a round.
Some abilities last a set number of rounds. Unless specifically stated otherwise, one round duration should be counted off at the start of the action of the character that caused the effect.
Characters can choose to delay their action. Doing so allowed them to act later in the initiative series. Doing so does not effect his position in other rounds of combat. If two or more characters attempt to out-delay each other, the characters with the lowest initiative scores must go first. A character cannot delay until the middle of another character's action.
There are five types of actions - Full, Move, Attack, Free, and Channeled. A character may make one Full action, one Move and one Attack action, or two Move actions each round. In addition, the character may make as many Free actions each round as he desires, within reasonable limit. Channeled actions are special - a Channeled action itself is a modifier, added on to one of the other action types. Such an action must be maintained even when it's not the character's turn in order to have its effect.
Channeled actions, unlike other actions, can be interrupted. Any attack that states it disrupts channeled attacks, moves the character, knocks the character prone, or grapples him immediately ends any abilities the character was channeling.
Most characters have a base movement score of 10m. This means that with a Move action, a character can move up to 10m. A character cannot use an Attack action while moving. He must make his full movement and then spend his Attack action, or spend his Attack action and then spend his full movement.
A special Full action exists called Withdrawing. When Withdrawing, the character may move at twice his movement speed as if taking two Move actions, and avoids all Attacks of Opportunity (see below).
When a character leaves himself open, other can make a free attack against him - this is called an Attack of Opportunity. A character suffers an Attack of Opportunity if he attempts to move past a target who he is in melee with (including if he enters melee during his round) or move out of melee range of a creature. This Attack of Opportunity can be avoided if the character takes a Withdraw action (see above).
An Attack of Opportunity must be a normal weapon based attack, unless a character specifically has an ability that says it can be used as an Attack of Opportunity.
When attacking another character, the following procedure is used.
First, the attacker rolls to hit. He rolls 1d20 + Accuracy bonuses + Agility (if a Strength-based attack) or Elan (if a Moxie-based attack) and compares it to a target's defense, which is 8 + defense bonuses + Agility (if a Strength-based attack) or Elan (if a Moxie-based attack). If the attacker rolls lower than the targets defense, the attack misses. If the attacker rolls equal to or higher than the target's defense, he hits. For every two points the attack roll exceeds the target's defense, the attack inflicts 1 extra damage.
The defender must then roll to soak. He rolls 1d20 + soak bonuses + appropriate resistance score + Strength (if a Strength-based attack) or Moxie (if a Moxie based-attack) and compares it to the attackers damage, which is the base damage of the attack + damage bonuses + Strength (if a Strength-based attack) or Moxie (if a Moxie-based attack). If the defender's soak roll exceeds or matches the damage score, he successfully soaks the attack without harm. If he fails the roll, he suffers one wound. For every two additional points he fails by, he suffers another wound.
A character who suffers a wound is damaged, but still capable of fighting until he reaches 15 wounds. At 15 wounds, the character collapses, unable to continue on. He may pass out, or just fall over, but is too injured to move of his own power and continue fighting. A character at 15 wounds can take no action except speaking (and even then, it will be pained!). If a character reaches 20 wounds, he immediately dies - he may have a few final moments to say something important, but that's it. Some abilities can cure wounds, but most are removed by resting. A character is cured of 1 wound each day, or 3 if he receives medical treatment.
A character can use his surroundings to help protect himself from attacks. A character hiding behind an object such as a tree, corner, or window gains a +2 bonus to defense from cover. Characters who have other creatures between them and their attacker also gain a +2 bonus to cover. A character in melee with another creature does NOT have cover from that creature.
Some types of attacks exist that aren't intended to deal damage. They are as follows:
Disarm: The attacking character makes an normal weapon attack roll as normal against his target. If successful, the target must make a Strength check with a +10 bonus against the attack's Damage. If the target fails, his weapon falls to the ground and he must spend a Move action to pick it back up.
Grapple: The attacking character makes an Agility-based attack roll as normal against his target. If successful, the target must make a Strength check TN 10 + attacker's Strength + bonus damage from attack roll. If the target fails, he's pinned by the attacker, unable to move. In a grapple, the defender can use Agility to escape, or Strength to become the "attacker", both opposed by the attacker's Strength roll. While grappling, neither the attacker nor defender can use any abilities that require an Attack action or move. The attacker can end the grapple as a Free action whenever he wishes - the defender is stuck in the grapple. In a grapple, the defender suffers a -4 penalty to defense.
Trip: The attacking character makes an Agility-based attack roll as normal against his target. If successful, the target must make a Strength check TN 10 + attacker's Strength + bonus damage from attack roll. If the target fails, he falls prone and must spend a Move action to stand back up.
Abilities have a listed distance from which they can be used, which is always one of the following:
Self: A self ranged ability can only be used on the character using it.
Melee: Melee range is any creature within 2m, who can be struck by a melee attack.
Short: Short range is any creature within 20m.
Medium: Medium range is any creature within 70m.
Long: Long range is any creature within 150m.
In addition, some abilities are listed with the following areas:
Cone: A cone has its "tip" centered at the character using the ability, and is as long at any point as it is wide.
Line: A line is a straight area with a set width (assume 2m if none is listed) and length.