Individual combat situations ("Melee") are resolved as a sequence of Melee Rounds ("MRs"), each of 6 seconds game time. All participants are termed "Combatants", irrespective of whether they are Fighters or are actually fighting. Indeed, it is possible for a Melee to be resolved without any fighting at all.
The Melee is usually set up using 25mm figures on wargames terrain to a ground scale of 5mm to 1 foot (i.e. 5cm represents 10 feet).
Each second of the MR is run in turn, in accordance with the Combatants' Plots.
At the beginning of each MR, each Combatant must state his General Plot for that MR. At the beginning of each second, each Combatant must state a Specific Plot for that second, or continue a previous Specific Plot. Specific Plots may cover several seconds, and may extend into subsequent MR.
All Plots are specified simultaneously. It will usually be satisfactory for them to be stated openly, but if appropriate the DM may require, or a Player may choose to make, a written Plot (e.g. for combat between PCs, or if a PC is doing something of which other PCs would be unaware). NPCs' Plots are determined by the DM, and should not be revealed before all PCs have stated their Plots.
General Plots need only specify the general nature of the Combatant's actions for the MR: e.g.
Actions may only be combined in the same MR to the extent permitted below.
Specific Plots specify the exact action taken by the Combatant that second: e.g.
Every Specific Plot must be consistent with the Combatant's General Plot for the MR. However, where not otherwise permitted by these rules, the DM may in his discretion allow Combatants to change their General Plots during the MR in order to react to unforeseen events. The DM's ruling is final.
Due to the constraints of the Initiative system, Combatants will not necessarily be engaging in actions every second. It is assumed, to the extent consistent with his General Plot, that every Combatant is observing the progress of the Melee so that he may react to it in future seconds, and will dodge and if possible shield any attacks targetting him. It is not therefore necessary to Specifically Plot such actions.
Initiative is the means of determining in which second of the MR Combatants make their attacks. It is sometimes also used to determine when other actions take place in relation to those attacks.
Initiative is rolled after all General Plots have been stated, and is only rolled by those Combatants who have Generally Plotted Fighting, subject as follows:
3.1.1 A Combatant who has Generally Plotted Full Defensive only rolls Initiative for his second and subsequent AMR (see 5 below);
3.1.2 A Combatant who has Generally Plotted actions leading to an attack later in the MR (e.g. "Move into combat", "Thievish Attack", "Cast Magic Weapon Spell") rolls Initiative normally, but must delay that attack as per 3.4.2 below to at least the earliest second in which it can be made (Successful Thievish Attacks allow an automatic attack in such second, and Initiative is then only rolled for subsequent AMR.);
3.1.3 A Combatant who is attacked when he has not rolled Initiative (and is not on Full Defensive) may change his General Plot when stating his Specific Plot for the first second that he is aware of such attack, and immediately roll Initiative to include that second (Note that on being subjected to a successful Thievish Attack, the target is unaware of that attack, but may roll Initiative as from subsequent seconds, if still alive. On an unsuccessful Thievish Attack, the target is aware of that attack, and may roll Initiative as from that second.).
3.1.4 In the first MR (only) all Combatants roll Initiative to determine when they start their actions (Note that normally Magic-Users may freely specify the second they start Spell Casting, but in the first MR they must roll Initiative dice equal to their Fighter AMR (with one Weapon) and the lowest die indicates the first second they can start Casting, including Elemental Activation. Fighters may therefore sometimes get the drop on them.).
3.1.5 As an exception to 3.1.4 above, in formal duels (where the duel starts on a signal to both Combatants) both Combatants may start their actions in the first second of the first MR. The first AMR taken may be plotted for any second of the MR (even if taking an attack with a weapon), and Initiative rolled as normal for subsequent AMR (which are lost if rolled for an earlier second, as per 3.4.2.1 below).
Once Initiative has been rolled, a Combatant is committed to Fighting (or whatever else was Plotted for the first second being rolled for). He is assumed to be concentrating on the Melee, and may not do anything not expressly stated in his General Plot until the first second rolled. He cannot run away or Cast a Spell until the first second rolled. If a Combatant Plots Magic-Use, but accidentally rolls Initiative, he may not start Casting until the first second rolled.
Initiative is rolled as a number of D6 equal to the Combatant's AMR. Each D6 represents one attack or parry, and indicates the second of the MR in which that attack / parry is made, from second 1 to second 6.
Initiative is usually rolled openly, for reasons of playability. However, if appropriate the DM may require, or a Player may choose, that Initiative be rolled secretly, as with written Plots. This is particularly appropriate where parrying or Full Defensive are being plotted by some Combatants. The DM must be shown all secretly rolled Initiative, but should not Plot NPCs' actions using that information.
3.4.1 Only one attack / parry may be made by each Combatant each second, irrespective of the number of Weapons wielded. In addition one attempt to Shield may be made in the same second as an attack / parry.
3.4.2 An attack / parry may be delayed from the second for which it has been rolled into a subsequent second, provided that:
3.4.2.1 If it is delayed into a second for which another attack / parry was originally rolled, it is lost, even if that other attack / parry has itself been delayed;
3.4.2.2 An attack / parry may not be delayed into the next MR (except for a parry Specifically Plotted for second 6 of a MR which is delayed due to an attack in that second having missed: see section C.3.1.3).
Multiple attacks / parries originally rolled for the same second therefore need to be delayed if they are to be taken, to the extent this can be done without losing them. For example:
| Initiative rolled | Earliest permissible attacks |
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
| 1 1 1 | 1 2 3 |
| 1 1 2 | 1 2 |
| 6 6 | 6 |
| 4 4 5 5 5 | 4 5 6 |
| 1 2 2 2 2 2 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 |
Immediately on rolling Initiative, each Combatant must adjust his Initiative dice as above to avoid losing attacks / parries. Combatants only have to state the exact seconds in which their attacks / parries are to be taken as part of their Specific Plots for each such second. In a Specific Plot for a second for which an Initiative die is available, the Combatant must Specifically Plot taking an attack or a parry, or delay that die to the next second, subject to the above provisos on delaying attacks / parries. If secret Plots / Initiative are being played, this process is done secretly.
If multiple weapons / attack types are available, it may be freely specified which is used in the Specific Plot for the second in which an attack / parry is taken.
Reflex Spells, including Final Appeals, may always be specified at any time, irrespective of Plots or Initiative. They are assumed to be Cast during the second in which they are announced (irespective of how much of that second has already been run, even by that Combatant, and they are resolved in the next second.
Simultaneous Fighting and Magic-Use is permitted subject to the following constraints:
4.1 Subject to 3.1.4 and 3.2 above, MUs may freely specify in which seconds they are Casting any Spells and waiting for Interspell Time ("IST"). Spells take effect in the second after Casting finishes, and the MU normally discerns any noticeable effect in the second after the Spell takes effect. However those two seconds count towards IST, or he may go straight into another Cast during them, so long as he is not reacting to the effect of the first Cast. It is therefore advisable to Plot any such concatenated Spell Cast at the same time as Plotting the first Cast. Otherwise the DM may prohibit it at his discretion.
4.2 Combatants who have plotted both Fighting and Magic-Using must roll Initiative for the Fighting, forfeiting one AMR for each Spell Cast intended. They may not make more Spell Casts that MR than the number of AMR so forfeited, provided that if they are allowed to change their General Plots as per 2.3 above, they may then forfeit an attack / parry which has previously been Plotted for a second not earlier than the first second of the additional Cast specified. If no such attack / parry is available, a further Cast will not be permitted until the next MR., except for Reflex Casts, which do not forfeit AMR.
4.3 Therefore, Spell Casting does not require AMR, but each (non-Reflex) Spell Cast uses up an AMR that might otherwise be available.
4.4 The Actions required for Spell Casting normally reduce D or RD to 0 and prohibit Shielding. However Word Spells may be Cast whilst Dodging / Shielding normally. Only Reflex Spells may be Cast during a second in which an attack or parry is made. IST runs normally whilst Fighting.
5.1 A "Full Defensive" Plot allows one automatic parry in any second that an attack is made on the Combatant during the MR. If the Combatant has additional AMR, he must roll Initiative for subsequent seconds as per 3.1.1 above.
5.2 The automatic parry does not have to be taken in the first second that an attack is made on the Full Defensive Combatant. As Specific Plots are made for each second that an attack is being made on him, he Specifically Plots whether he is taking the parry (and against which attacker, in the event of multiple attackers), but must do so before the attack is rolled, or he will continue on Full Defensive. Taking the parry automatically breaks Full Defensive, as per 5.4 below, using up one Initiative die (for the parry). If the attack that was to be parried misses, the parry may be delayed into an attack in the next second, as per 3.4.2 above.
5.3 Whilst a Full Defensive Plot is in force (subject to 2.3 above re changing plots and 5.4 below re breaking Full Defensive), the Combatant may do nothing but Dodge and Shield. If the Combatant takes any Damage during Full Defensive (e.g. by declining to use his automatic parry against an attack, which then hits and Damages him), Full Defensive is then broken.
5.4 The Combatant may break Full Defensive in his Specific Plot at the beginning of any second after the first of the MR, and he then rolls Initiative dice equal to his full AMR. Any dice rolled for earlier seconds are lost, and may not be delayed as per 3.3.2. Actions other than Fighting are only then permitted to the extent they would be if Fighting only had been Generally Plotted. AMR may not be voluntarily forfeited for Spell Casts, except as may be permitted pursuant to 2.3 above.
6.1 To draw a Weapon takes one AMR as part of a Fighting General Plot. To sheath a Weapon requires the same, but a Weapon may be dropped as a simple action in any second without using an AMR. Delicate Weapons such as Crossbows can be damaged by dropping them.
6.2 Full Defensive may not be Plotted until a Weapon has been drawn. If a Combatant does not have a Weapon drawn when Melee begins, he may not therefore Plot Full Defensive in the first MR.
6.3 Ranged Weapons also require AMR to be loaded, as per section C.6. It is dangerous to carry Crossbows around ready-loaded.
6.4 Shields are normally assumed to be carried on the arm, but if slung on the back or on a horse they must be readied in the same way as drawing a Weapon, using an AMR in addition to one to draw a Weapon.
6.5 To take a Potion the following actions are required: get it out, uncork it, drink it or throw it over oneself, and throw it away. This will therefore normally take a complete MR, even for Combatants with multiple AMR, and must be Generally Plotted accordingly. However, if the Potion is ready in the shield hand and uncorked on beginning Melee (as is the usual practice in Valdrean formal duels), it may be taken using one AMR and discarded without using an AMR, like dropping a Weapon. Enough seconds for these actions must still be available, and attacks delayed if necessary.
6.6 To throw a flash pellet or tanglefoot pill the following actions are required: get it out, wet it (tanglefoots only), and throw it. This uses 2 AMR for flash pellets, or 3 AMR for tanglefoots, but instead Combatants may Generally Plot it for a complete MR, in which case the getting out and wetting take one second each without using AMRs, but Initiative must be rolled for the throwing, and delayed to allow time for the getting out and wetting. Remember to Plot closing your eyes in the second after throwing a flash pellet!
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