The Red Ash combat system offers a rich dynamic to combat not seen in most games. On this page I will detail and later expand on the rules for conflict resolution in the game. But first a few things you know about Red Ash Weapons, Armor and Shields.

• When attacking you will use a weapon, or natural weapon (fist, claws, bite, etc..) and an attack damage type of; Piercing, Slashing, Chopping or Bludgeoning. If the weapon has a 0 for that type of damage then it can not do that type of attack. For example a Maul can do bludgeoning damage only, and so all of your attacks must be of the bludgeoning type. A Gladius can do Piercing, Slashing, Chopping and Bludgeoning. It is a better piercing weapon than a slashing, chopping or bludgeoning one, but you can used it on a greater number of different attack types.
• Each weapon also has a penetration value that can by-pass the of damage reduction of armor. This value is higher for weapons design for smaller species than that of larger species.
• A weapon speed value is also defined to reflect weapons that are more nimble and lighter (like the dagger) and ones that are heavier or more awkward to use (like the flail).
• All weapons use a skill that you have trained in to use properly. Some weapon skills are for a group of weapon that are very similar in form and function, like the single edged, single handed swords can be used for the Long Sword, the Katana, the Scimitar and more. Other weapon skills are for unique weapons, like the whip or bolas.
• The weapons skill adjustment is also used as an additional modifier of your skill level for very difficult to master weapons like the Kusarigama.
• A PAP value over zero on a weapon is the additional cost of attacking with that weapon due to its weight or awkwardness.
• Some weapons have special bonuses to certain combat actions, like deflection, and can be a real boon in combat.
• Health is the amount of damage that the weapon itself can take before breaking. Minor damage (10% of health value) can be fixed in the field by the character and is a part of their weapons training...provided that they have time to effect a repair. Over 20% damage and it will need to be repaired by a qualified smith or by magic.
• Weapons are not included into the Base PAP cost for defense, but they are included into the base value for offense. (This may change as more testing is done)
• The reach value of a weapon is used with the species reach to determine a combatants strike area in combat. Anything outside of the area requires you to move closer to strike in melee combat or use a ranged attack. For example a human has a reach of 90cm (2.95ft) using a Gladius with its x1.25 reach will mean you can strike a target within 112.5cm (3.69ft). But a pike has a reach of x3 and so the pike armed human can now strike someone at 270cm (8.86ft)
• If a weapon has a range of 0 that means it can not be used to attack an opponent outside of your strike area (character reach x weapon reach). If it is over 0 then you can attack the target at a range equal to the value times your species reach. So larger species will have a much longer range than a smaller species.
• Some weapons are also launchers for missiles like the flat bow is used to launch arrows. All launchers have a special feature to greatly extend the range value of its ammo.

• In Red Ash, armor and shields do not make you harder to hit. If anything they make you easier to hit by reducing your effective agility score and they increase your PAP expense. What you do gain from armor and shields is a damage reduction.
• You will find that certain kinds armor will protect against certain types of damage (Piercing, Slashing, Chopping and Bludgeoning) better than other types. But as a general rule protective values do increase with the expense of the armor.
• Armor can reduce your land and/or air speed when worn. If you have a +1 air speed then you do not want to wear armor that reduces you air speed by 1 as you will no longer be able to fly due to the bulk and physical restrictions of the armor.
• Some skills can also be reduced while wearing armor. The better the protection the higher the reduction to all skills that are outside of melee or ballistics.
• Shields have a general protective value that is used to increase your damage reduction regardless of the type of damage.
• Shields also have a number of modifiers to various combat actions like Deflection, Bash and Grapple.
• Shields like armor and weapons also have a health value. They all follow the same rules of repair as weapons do.

• Natural armor is like armor except that it is not a factor in PAP or MAP cost.
• Natural armor provides NO protection for any weaknesses or vulnerabilities you have. So if you have a weakness to silver weapons or acid damage any weapons that has silver or acid will completely by-pass any natural armor you have.

Red Ash makes use of a turn based combat system that is grouped by rounds. Each round contains a total of 20 turns and starts at 20 and counts down by 1 until you reach 1 and the round ends and a new one begins. Like so...
Round 1
Turn 20, 19, 18...3, 2, 1

Round 2
Turn 20, 19, 18...3, 2, 1

Round 3
Turn 20, 19, 18...3, 2, 1

When combat is about to start or when a new combatant enters combat for the first time the player rolls a 20 sided die to determine when their character can begin to attack.

Once your number comes up your character can perform a combat action. When two or more characters are set to go on the same turn, determine who goes first by rolling a die with the highest value going first. Which die...? doesn't matter just pick one that each player will roll.

After they have completed the turn, they finish it with figuring out on what turn they will next go. Without any modifiers you will normally go on the same turn of the next round. But with certain weapons you can attack sooner or later on the next or current round. Also once your characters a better skill in a melee or ballistics child skill you will be able to attack faster.

This is what makes the difference in a dagger fighter and a great axe fighter. A great axe has a weapon speed of -2 and a dagger has a weapon speed of +3. So if we have two combatants that both go on 18 and have no bonuses from skill levels then the great axe user will go on 16 of the next round (18-2=16). While we count down in the turn the great axe user must wait until the next round 16th turn before they can attack. The dagger user has a +3 to weapon speed and will go next on turn 1 of the same round. Here is why. The dagger user starts on 18 and adds 3 for 21. But each round only has 20 turns and so go on round 1 for the current round, or you can say the dagger user is faster at his attacks than the great axe user. Of course the great axe user will do much more damage! So now you have to figure out if speed wins out over damage.

No matter what a character must never be able to attack more than every turn in a round and should never be able to do that until level 100!

The goal of these rules is to set the Red Ash Combat system apart from most other systems that are really little more than a game of whack-a-mole, i.e. your enemy and you see each other and run up and whack at each other until a prize drops (loot). The Red Ash solution to a mindless bash fest is a presented here.

Two Laelaps (Dinosaurs/Dryptosaurus) fighting (1897)
Artist: Charles Robert Knight (1874-1953)
Original Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laelops-Charles_Knight-1896.jpg

Winning combat in the Red Ash system can occur in 1 of 4 ways. First you can defeat your adversary by killing them. Next they can run away or they can submit to you. Lastly you can fatigue them to exhaustion and they become helpless.

• You can only perform combat actions that the weapon your using supports. So you can not perform a piercing attack with a club.
• Certain defensive actions provide a better defense against certain types of attacks and are less effective against other type of attacks.
• Combat actions define how a character will attempt to attack an opponent and how that target will respond.
• If your character is out of reach of your opponent you must close that distance by using a movement action.
• Once an attacker is within combat range he can use an attack action and the defender gets to use a defensive action.
• When you are in melee combat, both players will compare the melee skill levels of their characters. The highest skill level going last, allowing them to adjust their combat action to best suit their situation. In the event of a tie of melee levels (child skills do not count) the defender always wins. This rule is to give credit to the warrior that studies and practices melee combat verses the one that branches out to multiple non-combat skills. Ranged fighters also have the same check with each other, but only when they are closer than 1/2 of their max range and if both opponents are aware of each other.
• Once the melee skill level is determined the character with the lower skill level must reveal the action to be uses. The character with the higher melee skill can select and respond to what is thrown.
  • So if the attacker has a higher melee skill than the defender, the defender must select and reveal their defensive combat action that their character will perform. The attacker seeing what is played can then select an attack action and play it.
  • On the other hand if the defender has the same or higher melee than the attacker does, then the attacker must select and reveal their combat action first and the defender can respond with whats best.
• Now you and your opponent rolls the dice (1d20) and total the values of: the ability score used to attack or defend, the skill bonuses that apply, the equipment modifiers, the fatigue negatives (if any) and the miscellaneous modifiers you can get during combat (from being Prone, Dazed, etc...). Highest value wins and a tie goes to the attacker as a hit for half damage.
  • If a hit is scored you can now apply damage to your opponent.
  • If you score by 20 points or more over your opponent you can do 2 times your normal damage.
  • If you fail, you miss your opponent and NO damage is applied.
  • If you fail by a large enough value you can suffer a counter attack or what is specified on the defense action played.
  • Some combat actions define a specific defense and those always override any a defender will use. For example Trip forces the defender to use their balance skill.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 3 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 0 to 1 size difference
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full Unarmed Combat or full Shield Skill+ 1d20
• Description: Grapple is a melee attack used to restrain either part or all of the body, or the weapon, of the defender. If the attack is successful, then the defender suffers from the effect of being grappled. On each of the following rounds you roll to maintain the grapple and if successful can apply one of a few effects depending on what you grapple first.
  
  Maintain Grapple:
  Coordination + Unarmed Combat Levels (or Melee Levels/3) + Bonuses + 1d20
  vs.
  Defenders Roll: Escape Artist
  
• Result: A successful grapple of:
  - a leg restricts movement -90% per turn
  - the head restricts attack and movement to -50% per turn.
  - a weapon prevents the use of the weapon and weapon arm.
  - a shield prevents the use of the shield and shield arm.
  
  maintained effects:
  - Take down and pin; 0 movement, no attack and +20 to maintain next round.
  - Disarm; remove weapon or shield.
  - Restrict blood/breathing; begin applying the suffocation effect to target.
  
  To change your grapple you must roll the first grapple again, but you gain a +5 bonus.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 0 to 1 size difference
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Response Roll: Balance Skill+ 1d20
• Description: While in melee combat you can make an attempt to trip your opponent. If successful they obtain the prone status.
  
• Result: Win and defender is prone. If you win by 14+ you can also roll an extra attack. Fail by 10 and the defender gains an counter attack.
Charge

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Chopping
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You charge at your opponent and use a single chopping attack.
  
• Result: When successful do normal damage +1 damage per 70kg. If mounted include the mounts weight and movement.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Piercing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Gouge is a piercing attack at the end of a double move.
  
• Result: If successful your normal damage gains a +1 for every 70kg (154.32 lbs) of weight of the attacker. When the attacker is mounted include the weight of the mount too and use the mounts movement to determine distance traveled. If you win by 12 points or more the defender is also knocked prone.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 0 to 1 size bigger
• User Roll: Strength + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: This is a charge type of attack. You select a space you want to occupy and push or knockdown anyone in your way. Every defender between you and your end location can move out of your way if they have any reserve active or they can defend against your attack.
  
• Result: In this contest the attacker has one roll that will set a difficulty all defenders must win a roll against. If any defender loses the roll they are pushed aside and you lower your score by 3 points for the next defender to roll against.
  
  if a defender loses by 10 or more they are knocked prone. If a defender wins a roll then they stop your progress and the attack ends.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 1
• Attack Type: Piercing, Bludgeoning
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Balistic or full child of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: You run and unleash one ranged attack between the start and stop locations.
  
• Result: Apply damage normally on success.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Slashing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Your charge at your enemy and slash at them once.
  
• Result: If you score a hit, do your normal damage and +1 damage per 70kg of weight. If your mounted you can add your mount weight and use its movement for distance.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Your charge at your enemy and take one bludgeoning attack.
  
• Result: If you score a hit, do your normal damage and +1 damage per 70kg of weight. If your mounted you can add your mount weight and use its movement for distance.
Offensive

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 5 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Piercing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: You aggressively go after your opponent with 2 thrusting attacks.
  
• Result: 2 piercing attacks at +2 attack bonus each but -2 defense until your next turn. Apply damage normally on success.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• Requires: 0 to 1 size difference
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Bash is a simple standing slam attack meant to throw your opponent off balance. This can be done with a weapon, a shield or unarmed.
  
• Result: If the attacker is successful the defender has their defense reduced by 1 point per every 2 they lose by until the start of the defenders next round. If the attack wins by 10+ the defender is also dazed.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: You swing at your opponent with one bludgeoning strike.
  
• Result: Apply damage normally on success.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Chopping
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You swing at your opponent with one chopping strike.
  
• Result: Apply damage normally on success.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 3 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: Your attack will attempt to cripple your opponent.
  
• Result: Win and the defender gains a crippled marker and has all attacks and their Agiliy set at -2. Their movement (land and air) is also reduced by 1. If you win by 12 you also can apply 30% of the damage you roll

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 3 MAP: 1
• Attack Type: Special
• User Roll: Focus + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Response Roll: Focus + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You attempt to strip a handheld weapon from an opponent. This attack has no effect on natural weapons.
  
• Result: Win and defender loses a targeted weapon, win by 10 or more and weapon is tossed in a space of your choise your reach x 3 distance from your location.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 2 MAP: 1
• Attack Type: Special
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee + Bluff Skill+ 1d20
• Response Roll: Selected Defense + Bluff Skill+ 1d20
• Description: Lower defenders armor by 1 per 2 over and grants an immediate secondary attack.
  
• Result: If successful apply damage at 50% and no criticals are not possible.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 3 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Chopping
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You agressively attack you opponent with two chopping attacks.
  
• Result: You gain +2 attack bonus for each attack, but a -2 defense modifier until your next turn

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: N/A MAP: N/A
• Attack Type: N/A
• Description: You hold your action to go before a specified event or target can act.
  
• Result: Select a character (friend or foe) or a known event and you will go just prior to thier/its action.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 4 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• Requires: 0 to 1 size bigger
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You attack is meant to push your opponent away from you.
  
• Result: On a successful attack you force your target away from you +1 meter for every +4 points points of strength over your opponent. If you win by 12 or more apply 25% of your normal damage.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: You strike your opponent, hard...in an attempt to force them prone.
  
• Result: Win and the defender must take 25% of your normal damage and make a savings throw of their Strength +1d20 or be knocked prone. Win by 12 and the defender takes 50% of your normal damage.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Piercing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You hyper-extend your body and to improve your combat reach.
  
• Result: Gain +30% to your strike area for this attack. If you win the attack roll you can do your normal damage. You also suffer a -15% to your defense until the start of your next turn or -30% to your defense if you repeat the this attack again..

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: N/A MAP: N/A
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Focus + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Response Roll: Awareness + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Instead of attacking you study your opponent looking for a weakness.
  
• Result: Each turn you study your opponent and do not attack, not including counter attacks, you gain a +1 to +6 counter (roll a 6 sided die) that you can use for either an attack on your turn or a defense, but not counter attacks. These counters are for that opponent only and disappear once the opponent is defeated.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Piercing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: Your thrust your weapon or launch a missle at your opponent.
  
• Result: Apply damage normally on success.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 3 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• User Roll: 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: You hammer your oppoent with blows
  
• Result: You perform 2 bludgeoning attacks at +2 attack bonus each, but also gain a -2 defense until your next turn

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 3 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 0 to 1 size bigger
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You charge at your opponent and slam into them using a weapon, a shield or your unarmed attack.
  
• Result: For every 3m (9.84ft) you move add a +1 to the attack score.
  
  If you win the attack you move the defender back 1m (3.28ft). If you win by 10+ the defender takes +25% of your normal damage

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Slashing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You slash your weapon at your opponent.
  
• Result: Apply damage normally on success.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 3 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Slashing
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: You agressively slicing at the defender.
  
• Result: your attacks gain a +2 bonus to hit each, but you suffer a -2 defense until your next turn.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 1
• Attack Type: Bludgeoning
• Requires: 0 to 2 size difference
• User Roll: Focus + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Your bludgeoning attack is not intended to cause damage, but instead will stun them if successful.
  
• Result: On a successful hit defender must roll a save of your focus +1d20 + 1 per (unarmed combat skill level or 1/3 melee skill). Their save is Health + 1d20 + 1 per (unarmed combat skill level or 1/3 melee skill)
  
  If the defender fails they acquire the stunned effect until their next turn.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 3 MAP: 3
• Attack Type: Special
• User Roll: Focus + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Your attack is aimed at a specific item of the defenders equipment that is in plain view.
  
• Result: On success your damage is applied to a weapon in hand or a shield, or the armor the defender is wearing for example.
  
  A book in hand can also be sundered, but not a book hidden somewhere in a backpack.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 3 sizes bigger, previous grapple or bite attack
• User Roll: Strength + +30 for gaping maw+ 1d20
• Response Roll: Escape Artist+ 1d20
• Description: You attempt to swallow an opponent you have last bitten or have grappled.
  
• Result: On sucess you swallow your target and they will begin to take automatic acid damage and have the suffocation effect applied to them on the next round.
  
  Once swallowed all weapon speeds are set to 0, forcing your to go once per round. Small weapons, daggers kukri and the like are the only thing usable to cut yourself out.
  
  Defenders that cut themselves out leave a hole in the attacker which will bleed at -4 life points per turn unless treated.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 3 sizes smaller
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Description: Swarm is a special attack were the attackers enter the same space as the defender and deals automatic damage every round.
  
  A group defense is created by the bobbing and weaving of the swarm members to make it difficult for the target to strike a single member of the swarm.
  
• Result: On success you enter the targets space and begin doing automatic damge of (25% of Strength) + 1 per swarm member
  
  To target a specific member of a swarm the defender, on their turn, must roll vs the group defense first. If the defender succeeds then they can roll their attack as normal for that target, otherwise they are flailing about.
  
  Group Defense is: Agility + 1d20 + 3 per swarm member vs Defenders Focus + Melee Levels +1d20
  
  A swarm target can also drop and roll on the ground and make one group defense roll on 20% of the swarm and apply damage to that group of the swarm, but they then are also prone. The defender can also take other measures like diving in water, jumping in fire and take damage himself but applying the same damage to the attackers.
  
  Area of effect powers and spells do not roll verses the group defense.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Description: Your goal with this attack is to simply make physical contact with your opponent.
  
• Result: on success you are physically touch the oppoent and can then apply power or spells effets as needed.

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: Special
• Requires: 2 sizes bigger, or 1 if target is prone
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or full Ride Skill for mounted attackers+ 1d20
• Description: Being much bigger than your opponent you will use your height and mass to your advantage and crush your enemy under your feet.
  
• Result: On success you can apply bludgeoning damage of +1 per 20 kg (44 lbs)
Defensive

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Agility + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: -2
• Defense vs Slashing: 2
• Defense vs Chopping: 0
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: 0
• Description: Avoid is a defensive action that allows you to side step your opponents attack and take no damage if successful.
  
• Result: Win and no damage, lose by 2 and reduce damage by 10%, win by 10 and gain an attack action

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Agility + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: 0
• Defense vs Slashing: 0
• Defense vs Chopping: -2
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: 2
• Description: Using a weapon or shield you attempt to halt the attack coming at you.
  
• Result: Win and no damage, lose and damage is directed to your equipment used to block. Lose by 5 or more and you take the full damage. Win by 12 and gain a counter attack.
  
  If your equipments health is reduced to zero it is destroyed and provides no protection.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 0 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Agility + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: 0
• Defense vs Slashing: 0
• Defense vs Chopping: 0
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: 0
• Description: Brace is a low cost defensive action where incoming attacks are deliberately taken.
  
• Result: Win and no damage, lose and damage is divided for every point you lose by is -10% damage, of the original 100%, your euipment absorbs with the rest going to your life points.
  
  For example if you lose by 1 point your equipment takes 90% and you take 10% of the damage dealt. Lose by 6 points and your equipment takes 40% and you take 60% of the damage.
  
  If your equipments health is reduced to zero it is destroyed and provides no protection.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Agility + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: 2
• Defense vs Slashing: 0
• Defense vs Chopping: 0
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: -2
• Description: You use a weapon or shield to redirect the energy of an incoming attack.
  
• Result: Win and no damage, lose by 2 and equipment take 30% of damage and you take 70%, win by 12 and gain an attack.
  
  If your equipment takes damage equal to or more than its health then it is destroyed and provides no protection.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Agility + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee or 1/3 Balistic or child skill of Balistic+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: 0
• Defense vs Slashing: -2
• Defense vs Chopping: 2
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: 0
• Description: The best plan to to take damage is to not to take the blow. You attempt to do just that by steping to the side, ducking or leaping over the incoming attack.
  
• Result: Win and take no damage, lose by 2 and reduce damage by 10%, lose by 14 and you are unbalanced until your next turn, win by 10 and gain a attack action

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Focus + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: 0
• Defense vs Slashing: 0
• Defense vs Chopping: 0
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: 0
• Description: With your nerves of steel (?) your attackers charge will be met by your pole arm or long spear (must be already equiped) as you plant the end into the ground and level the point at them.
  
• Result: Win and the attacker will impales themselves (or mount if riding) take automatic piercing damage and the attacker loses the attack for that round. Win by 10 or more attacker becomes prone too.

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• User Roll: Coordination + 1/3 Melee or full child skill of Melee+ 1d20
• Defense vs Piercing: 0
• Defense vs Slashing: 0
• Defense vs Chopping: 0
• Defense vs Bludgeoning: 0
• Description: You attempt to avoid the opponents attack and counter attack by pulling him down of his mount.
  
• Result: Win and the attacker is removed from their mount. Win by 14 or more and the rider is knocked Prone. No damage is dealt
Movement

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• Requires: Air Speed > 0 and already flying
• Description: Dive is a rapid drop in altitude permitting an increase in air movement that is 3x fasters than normal.
  
  If your normal air movement is 50m (about 164ft) per round then your dive is t 150m (or 492.13ft).
  
  Because of this increased speed you gain a +1 to any defense for every 10 points over an attackers focus score. So against an average focus of 199 this will net you a +5 bonus to defense using the air movement above.
  

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 1 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• Requires: Air Speed > 0
• Description: Fly is a basic air born movement that is no more than your air speed at level flight. Gaining altitude is at -50% air speed. Dropping altitude is at +50% air speed, but is easily controlled to a low speed.
  

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: N/A MAP: 2
• Attack Type: N/A
• Description: Reserve is a counter-action used by a character for preparation of an off-turn movement. This movement can be used in whole or part and as many times as permitted by their remaining balance.
  
  To setup reserve you can only move half of your move and take no other actions, take a combat action (1) and no movement or you can take no actions at all.
  
  During the turns that follow, until your next turn you can use your reserve movement to take cover from attacks or evade the area of effect of a spell.
  
  Any balance of movement at the start of your next turn is lost and reserve must be reset again continue any benefits.
  
  * The PAP/MAP Cost is paid each time you use your reserve.
  
  1. You can only use combat actions that have a 1/2 turn.
  

• Turn: 1.0
• PAP: 2 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• Description: Run is an action of 2x your base land movement in one turn. This will permit a faster closing with the enemy, or escape.
  

• Turn: 0.5
• PAP: 0 MAP: 0
• Attack Type: N/A
• Description: Walk is an action of traveling your base land movement value.
  

Congratulations! You have were just successfully hit! Let me tell you what you won!

• Damage is based on the type of attack your weapon does plus 50% of strength (this may change later), plus bonus from skill levels and add any miscellaneous bonuses such as elemental damage added to your weapon and so on.
• Some weapons do more damage of a specific type like chopping or piercing.
• The defender gets to reduce the damage dealt by the values of any natural armor, armor and/or shields they are using.
• Natural Armor does NOT provide any protection from damage you take from weaknesses or vulnerabilities you have.
• What remains of the original damage is added to damage from weaknesses and/or vulnerabilities. You then reduce your life points by this amount.

I find it amazing that in many games a first level character can wear full plate mail armor, equip a shield and a weapon and also a full back pack and then run cross country and fight numerous rats, bugs and other low level encounters and never get winded! Being an older guy, I get winded going up a flight of stairs, LOL. And yes I know, I know...its a game. Still this is one of those things that always bothered me and distracts from the world you are trying to immerse the player in.

EVERY action you perform in combat cost Action Points. Even if you do not kill your opponent you can wear them down to the point they are helpless. Of course this can happen to you too. To this end Red Ash uses a fatigue system based on action points to define how this works.

Action Points are split into two sections, one for Physical Actions and one for Mental Actions. The Base of your PAP (Physical Action Points) is base on the physical ability scores of Coordination, Strength, Agility and Health totaled and then divided by 10. The same is done to find the base of your MAP (Mental Action Points) only use add Focus, Power, Awareness and Identity and then divide by 10. These are called a base value because your skills you train in will add to this value and give you your total PAP and MAP scores.

Each action you perform in combat will consume points from one or both of the sections. When either section is depleted you gain a fatigue counter. This counter tracks how tired you are from the stress of combat. Each fatigue counter you gain increase the penalty you have for attacks, defense, movement and skill checks. You also reset both action points at an increasingly reduced amount of the original value for each fatigue counter you gain to the amount of 75% for the first counter, 50% for the second counter and lastly 25% for the third counter. Any excessive negative Action Points are not carried over to the reset values. So yes, some free energy does exist! As an example say your character has 2 Physical Action Points left and no fatigue counters. The player decides the character will take an action that cost 6 physical action points to do. The character now has -4 PAP and so must take a fatigue counter and reset both PAP and MAP values to 75% of the full amount. The -4 PAP is ignored. MAP is reset even though the character may have not used any of its points.

Once you gain your fourth fatigue counter you are running on fumes. All action points you spend are totaled and compared to either Health or Identity which ever is lower. Once the total of your characters action points that have been spent is equal to or exceeds this ability the character will collapse from exhaustion and will be at the mercy of his attackers.

Resolving a characters turn depends on the actions selected and may optionally require defensive actions on the part of one or more defenders. When a defender must act they can select a combat response unless the attack forces a specific response for them, like when being attacked with a Trip Action the defender must roll a Balance Action.

Success and failure results are defined by the combat action and the response selected. Many actions have special notes on exceptional success or failure so be sure to understand these. A counter attack is possible and is always treated as a surprise attack (read below).

While in combat the opponents can make use of the root skill to determine what to do. For example melee characters can make use of the melee skill to determine how combat will plays out for that turn. The character with the lowest melee skill must select and display their combat action first. The character with the higher melee skill can then "read" his opponents actions and then select his combat action. In the event of a tie the defender always wins and can see the attackers action first.

The same holds true for other root skills, except for Psyche. An archer can determine another archers actions based on a higher skill level in the Ballistics skill. A devote can read an opponents actions in combat if his Ritual skill is of a higher level.

Psyche in combat gives no outward appearance of use and so an attacker can select their Psyche based skill and the user must guess a proper response.

Melee has one distinction from the other root skills and that is when a character is within his strike area of an opponent they can use their melee level vs a different skill like ritual, arcana, ballistics, etc...but not Psyche.

Once characters have determine their actions they perform the actions which can include rolling dice to determine a total score for attack and defense, movement usually does not include a dice roll. All combat actions will state what rolls are needed and the success and failure of them. An exceptional success or failure will also be described. For example many response actions can result in a counter attack as an exceptional success of a defender.

A critical hit is a strike that a attacker scores over the defenders score. This 20 point difference can be lowered with the power, Augmented Critical or the class feat, Improved Critical Strike. A successful critical does double damage to your opponent before any damage reduction is applied. Critical hits do not over ride exceptional success, they are added to it.

A surprise action is one that the target is ill prepared for. In active melee combat this takes the form of the target guessing at what action you will use when trying to defend. When the target is not aware of your presence this means an automatic critical if you score a hit and on a true critical strike you can by pass armor but not natural armor.

During a characters turn the combat action they chose to use may only take a half turn and so they can perform another action. The actions that are a full turns are usually more aggressive and grant a bonus to hit or damage, but they also have a penalty the character must deal with until their next turn when they can act again.

After each action your character will spend PAP (Physical Action Points) and/or MAP (Mental Action Points) as related to the fatigue system (see abilities, fatigue for more information on this).

At the end of your turn you will determine on what turn you can go next on. This is figured based on the weapons you used and its attack speed plus your skill with that weapon. your Armor and maybe even your sheild can effect speed too.

Pollice Verso (1872)
Artist: Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904)
Original Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jean-Leon_Gerome_Pollice_Verso.jpg

Characters go unconscious at 0 and will die in a number of rounds equal to their health score. Once down you will bleed 1 point per round until your wounds are healed or you roll a successful stabilization roll. Regardless of the amount of damage you take you will die in a number of rounds equal to the characters health ability. Once this amount of time has elapsed, your character has died.

Recovery is based on regaining life points at +1 per 7 Health Ability score per day. If the whole party is dropped then your fate will reside in the NPCs that dropped you and of course the DM.

This does not mean you are bound to make a new character. You may be healed to find you have been captured and facing interrogation. A wander adventurer may have ran off your opponents, a predator attack what downed you and they both died, you wake up after days of laying in the forest with no idea why you are alive, or any other solution the DM feels fits the bill.