Chapter Four

Combat

Combat is the heart of Steel Age. It is resolved through contests of control, pressure, and timing — not hit-point attrition. Fatigue is often the real killer, and Steel Age rewards positioning, coordination, preparation, and knowing when to disengage.

Combat Primer — Read This First

Steel Age combat is simpler than it looks. Most exchanges resolve in one or two opposed rolls. If one combatant already holds Momentum, many turns reduce to a single opposed roll. Everything else in this chapter handles the exceptions.

Steel Age combat is built around opposed rolls and control of the melee. Each round moves through three phases: the Opening Phase is for setting order, movement, and preparation before blades bind; the Melee Combat Resolution Phase is where engaged fighters clash and press; and the Closing Phase is for repositioning once the exchange has played out, ending with Aftermath where fatigue and end-of-round effects are applied.

In melee, the Melee Combat Resolution Phase has two steps: the Engagement Clash and the Momentum Press. First, engaged combatants declare targets and resolve the Engagement Clash; the winner gains Momentum over their declared target. Second, only a combatant with Momentum may initiate a Momentum Press against that declared target; the defender rolls to resist. In fights with multiple combatants, all Momentum Press rolls are made, then resolved from highest Momentum Attack Total to lowest — because the quickest press can break another fighter’s control before they can act.

If a Momentum Press succeeds, the hit lands and damage is resolved immediately as part of that same press. Steel Age does not use a separate damage roll. Instead, determine the attacker’s margin using only the raw 2d6 dice from the roll that produced the hit (ignore all modifiers), then add weapon lethality and relevant attributes to form a Damage Total against the defender’s Resilience. If Damage Total exceeds Resilience, the defender loses Health by the difference; whether or not Health is lost, a successful hit also adds fatigue.

Momentum can persist. If you end a round with Momentum over a foe and nothing causes it to collapse, you begin the next round still in control so long as you remain Engaged with that same foe. In that case you do not roll a new Engagement Clash against them — you proceed directly to Momentum Press. Momentum collapses immediately if you fail any Momentum Defense, disengage, or otherwise lose the conditions that allow it to persist.

Fatigue is always applied in the Aftermath and does not affect rolls until the next round. This keeps the exchange fast and decisive while still letting exhaustion accumulate. When Health reaches 0, resolve the Trauma Check immediately; survival means the combatant becomes Incapacitated and begins bleeding out unless stabilized.

Combat Scale

A combat round in Steel Age is approximately five seconds. Combat may be run on a 5′ × 5′ grid or abstracted to relative positioning. Most combatants occupy a single space. Combatants have a facing dividing their space into front and rear vectors — rear attacks are tactically significant.

Terrain in Combat

Difficult (mud, rubble, deep snow, shallow water): each 5′ costs 10′.
Treacherous (ice, steep wet stone, unstable debris): treat as Difficult. Moving more than 5′ under pressure may require an Acrobatics & Movement check (CM 8). Hard failure may cause Prone.
Obstructed (barricades, collapsed masonry, dense thorn growth): cannot be crossed without a plausible route or GM-called check.

Terrain changes the cost of movement, not the basic rules of engagement. Movement granted by combat procedures still pays terrain costs.

Visibility in Combat

Clear: No special combat penalties.
Low: No automatic penalty; GM may rule that fine identification or precision shots at distance are unreliable.
Poor: Cannot Aim at unilluminated targets. Sight-based ranged attacks suffer −2 unless target is clearly illuminated.
None: Treat as Blind with respect to that target.

The Combat Round

I

Opening PhaseSet Opening Order. Unengaged combatants act — movement, ranged attacks, spellcasting, preparation.

II

Melee Combat ResolutionEngaged combatants resolve Engagement Clash, then Momentum Press, then Damage.

III

Closing PhaseUnengaged combatants act in opening order. Disengagers resolve their 10′ move last. Ends with Aftermath: Fatigue lands, morale checks, Bleeding Out ticks.

The order of phases within a combat round never changes and all phases must be complete for a round to be considered finished. Opening Order is set once at the start of combat and holds for all subsequent rounds.

Once combatants are Engaged, most exchanges resolve through a very small number of opposed rolls. The system’s depth comes from pressure, fatigue, and consequence — not from long procedural chains.

When steel is drawn, the Opening Phase opens with one question: who acts first, and who is forced to react. Set Opening Order once at the start of combat — it holds for all subsequent rounds. New combatants joining an ongoing fight determine Opening Order when they enter and are inserted into the existing order. With order set, unengaged combatants act in turn. This is the moment before blades bind — when combatants still have space to position, prepare, and commit. Only those not yet Engaged may act here. Damage takes hold immediately, but Fatigue waits until Aftermath. Engagement is checked when your turn comes up, so hesitation is dangerous: if you Wait and become Engaged before your new position arrives, the moment is lost.

Opening Order Score = 2d6 + Mind Modifier + Command Skill Modifier + Situational Modifiers

Turns resolve in opening order. A combatant is Engaged if adjacent to a hostile enemy. Each combatant that is not Engaged may choose one action from the Unengaged Actions list. Health damage applies immediately; Fatigue is deferred to Aftermath.

The Melee Combat Resolution Phase is where the fight truly closes — when distance is gone, targets are chosen, and control of the struggle is decided blow by blow. Margin matters: it creates openings, drives momentum, and turns good positioning into real consequences. Think of the Engagement Clash as the fight for control of the flow of combat, and the Momentum Press as the attempt to kill.

The Melee Combat phase is divided into two steps: the Engagement Clash and the Momentum Press.

The Closing Phase is the round’s last breath — a chance to reposition, recover footing, or finish what was started. Those locked in melee cannot act here; once Engaged, the struggle consumes attention until the next exchange. When all Closing actions are resolved, Aftermath settles: deferred Fatigue lands, morale is checked, and end-of-round effects apply.

Turns resolve in opening order. Engaged combatants cannot act. Unengaged combatants may choose one action. After all Closing actions resolve, any combatant who successfully declared Disengagement in Melee Resolution moves 10′.

When all Closing actions are complete, resolve Aftermath. Apply: Fatigue, morale and panic checks, Bleeding Out ticks, and any per-turn effects. Casting rolls to sustain spells are made now. See Aftermath Procedure: Morale & Panic at the end of this chapter.

Action Summary

MoveMove at combat pace (Standard = 15′). One free facing change; additional changes cost 5′ each. Moving adjacent to an enemy triggers Engaged status and stops movement.

AimTake aim at a specific target with a ready ranged weapon.

ReleaseMake a ranged attack with a ready weapon. See Ranged Combat Rules.

Begin CastingBegin the movements and incantations necessary to cast a spell.

Complete CastingComplete a spell; effects resolve immediately.

Take CoverMove behind adjacent cover and add it to ranged defense rolls. Typically allows a free 5′ movement.

Go Prone / StandVoluntarily go prone or stand up.

BraceGain +1 on first roll during the next Melee Combat Resolution phase. Expires after that phase.

Use ItemUse or consume a simple item. Complex items require two consecutive Use Item actions.

Stabilize (Begin / Finish)Attempt to stop an Incapacitated creature from Bleeding Out. Two-action procedure.

Ready / ReloadReady or reload a missile weapon or item. Some weapons require multiple actions.

WaitDefer action to the last position in opening order. Choosing Wait again does nothing that phase.

Each action is a commitment. The moment you act, the world reacts. An unengaged combatant who moves adjacent to an enemy becomes Engaged immediately and loses any remaining movement — hesitation and positioning matter as much as the roll that follows. Disengagement is not an action — it is declared before the Engagement Clash and resolved at the end of the Closing Phase. See Melee Combat Resolution.

Example — Brace into Engagement Clash

Hadrik is unengaged at the start of the Opening Phase. He chooses Brace instead of moving forward. At the start of the Melee Combat Resolution Phase, a bandit closes and they roll the Engagement Clash. Hadrik adds +1 to his roll from Brace. He wins the Clash and gains Momentum. The Brace bonus expires after that phase.

Results: Brace must be taken in the Opening Phase; it applies only to the first roll in the next Melee Combat Resolution Phase, then expires.

Example — Wait and Take the Shot

Sella wants her bow ready, but Hadrik is positioned in her line of fire. She chooses Wait during the Opening Phase, deferring to the end of the opening order. By the time her deferred action arrives, Hadrik has engaged the lead bandit and cleared the angle. Sella Releases and drops the raider hanging back.

Results: Wait trades turn order for information. If no enemy closes on you, your deferred action resolves after others have committed — letting you target whoever matters most.

Example — Wait and Lose the Action

Sella chooses Wait during the Opening Phase, deferring to the end of the opening order. Before her deferred action arrives, Rodek moves adjacent to her — she becomes Engaged. Her deferred action is lost. When the Melee Combat Resolution Phase begins, she is already in a Clash with no preparation, no Brace bonus, and no ranged shot taken.

Results: Becoming Engaged cancels a deferred Wait action. Engagement status is checked as each combatant acts — hesitation has a cost.

Example — Ready, then Release in Closing

Tomas begins the round with his bow unstrung from the previous exchange. In the Opening Phase he uses his action to Ready his weapon. He cannot Release this phase — the weapon was not ready when his turn came up. The melee closes around him; he remains unengaged. In the Closing Phase, Tomas takes his action and Releases — the arrow flies before the round ends.

Results: Ready and Release are separate actions. A weapon must be ready before Release can be declared. An unengaged combatant may act in both the Opening and Closing Phase, but only once per phase.

Unengaged

Default State

Not adjacent to a hostile enemy. Has freedom of movement and access to preparatory actions. Can act during both the Opening Phase and Closing Phase.

Move Aim Release Casting Ready/Reload Take Cover Go Prone/Stand Stabilize Wait Melee Resolution

Becomes Engaged

Moves adjacent to a hostile enemy — movement ends immediately

Disengages

Declared before Engagement Clash — move resolves at end of Closing Phase

Engaged

Adjacent to Hostile Enemy

Adjacent to a hostile enemy. Participates in Melee Combat Resolution Phase. Cannot act during Opening or Closing Phases — the struggle consumes all attention.

Melee Combat Resolution Opening Phase Actions Closing Phase Actions

Multiple Engagements

A combatant may be Engaged with multiple enemies simultaneously. Each pairing resolves its own Clash and Momentum independently.

Engagement Trigger

Becoming adjacent to a hostile enemy immediately ends movement and confers Engaged status — even mid-Opening Phase.

Disengage Restriction

Disengagement is not an action. It is declared before the Engagement Clash and won through Melee Resolution. Successful disengagers move 10′ at the end of the Closing Phase, after all other actions resolve.

Terrain & Movement

A combatant cannot move through a square occupied by a hostile creature. Terrain changes movement cost — it does not change engagement rules.

Positional States

Unengaged

A

B

Not adjacent — free to act in Opening and Closing

Movement

A

B

A moves adjacent to B — movement ends immediately

Engaged

A

B

Adjacent — Melee Resolution only. No Opening or Closing actions.

Combatant A (friendly)

Combatant B (enemy)

Arms and Armor in Combat

Chapter VI contains the full weapon and armor lists — costs, descriptions, encumbrance, and availability. What follows covers the stats that are active during combat resolution and what they mean in a fight.

Reach is a measure of a weapon’s physical length, expressed as a numerical bonus to the Engagement Clash roll — a spear (Reach 2) adds +2; a sword (Reach 1) adds +1; a dagger (Reach 0) adds nothing. Reach applies only to the Engagement Clash. Once Momentum is established, Reach confers no further advantage.

Lethality is a fixed value added to the Damage Total after a hit lands. It represents the weapon’s capacity to cause serious injury when a blow connects cleanly. A higher Lethality weapon does not hit more often — it does more when it hits.

Armor Value (AV) is a measure of the protection a piece of armor provides in a fight. It is added directly to the defender’s Resilience — the threshold that separates a graze from a wound. A higher AV means more hits are absorbed as fatigue rather than injury. Armor does not make a fighter harder to hit — it reduces the consequences when a hit lands.

Weapons in Combat

The following examples illustrate how weapon stats play out in a fight. For the full list, see Chapter VI: Wealth & Equipment.

Spear — L2, R2

The standard infantry weapon. Its Reach gives it a meaningful advantage in the Engagement Clash — it forces the opponent to fight through the length of the shaft before they can close. Solid Lethality means it also does real damage when the press lands.

Arming Sword — L2, R1

The professional soldier’s sidearm. Balanced Reach and Lethality with no extreme strengths and no extreme weaknesses. It asks more of its carrier than a spear but remains effective across the full range of a fight.

War Hammer — L3, R1

The same Reach as a sword but higher Lethality. It does not control the Clash any better than a sword — it punishes the opponent more decisively when the press lands. Against armored targets, that difference is often what closes the fight.

Dagger — L1, R0

No Reach means entering the Engagement Clash at a disadvantage. The dagger is dangerous once inside an opponent’s guard — but getting there is the problem. Most effective against a target already compromised, or when longer weapons cannot be brought to bear.

Armor in Combat

The following examples illustrate how armor stats play out in a fight. For the full list, see Chapter VI: Wealth & Equipment.

Light Gambeson — AV 1

Keeps a fighter mobile and accessible. Will not reliably stop a committed blow — it reduces the damage from glancing hits, but hard strikes land.

Mail Hauberk — AV 5

The fight changes at this tier. Many ordinary hits become fatigue rather than injury. Mail does not make a fighter invincible — it forces opponents to land clean, well-leveraged blows before they cause real damage.

Reinforced Mail — AV 6

The most serious protection available on Dyrhal’s battlefields outside of plate. Engaging a fighter here without comparable protection or a significant tactical advantage is rarely wise.

Shield — +2 Momentum Defense

The shield is not armor — its bonus applies to the Momentum Defense roll, before damage is ever calculated. A shield improves every contested press and provides partial cover against ranged attacks. Unlike armor, it works at the moment an attack is being driven home, not after it lands.

Melee Combat Resolution

The melee combat rules are a vital part of the core identity of Steel Age. The Melee Combat Resolution Phase is meant to simulate and give the feel of a real fight, with reach, momentum, and fatigue all playing a large role in the outcome.

The Melee Combat phase is divided into two steps: the Engagement Clash and the Momentum Press. During the Melee Combat Resolution Phase, for each melee, resolve Engagement Clashes first, then Momentum Presses, then any Damage Resolution. When multiple combatants are involved, follow the special rules for multi-opponent melee.

Engagement Clash Segment (Neutral State)

Used when neither combatant holds Momentum. Each combatant declares one target from among the enemies they are engaged with, then rolls:

Engagement Clash Score = Melee Combat Skill Check + Reach + Situational Modifiers

Melee Combat Skill Check = 2d6 + Skill Modifier + Attribute Modifier (if applicable)

Targets must be declared before rolls are made.
Highest total wins and gains Momentum over their declared target.
A tie results in neither combatant gaining Momentum.

Example — Engagement Clash → Momentum

Hadrik braces with a spear as the bandit closes. Hadrik rolls 2d6 (4+3=7) +2 (Melee Skill Mod) +2 (Prowess Mod) +2 (Reach Bonus) +1 (Braced) = 14. The bandit rolls 2d6 (5+2=7) +1 (Melee Skill Mod) +1 (Prowess Mod) +1 (Reach Bonus) = 10. Hadrik wins the clash and gains Momentum over his declared target.

Results: Engagement Clash Score includes Reach; highest total gains Momentum (here, 14 vs 10).

Momentum Carryover

If you begin a new round’s Melee Combat Resolution Phase still Engaged with an opponent over whom you retained Momentum, you do not roll an Engagement Clash against them. Proceed directly to Momentum Press.

Rear Engagement

If attacked from a rear vector, the attacker automatically wins the Engagement Clash. No roll is made.

Disengagement

To Disengage, a combatant must declare their intent before the Engagement Clash roll. If they win all rolls they face during that Engagement Clash, they may choose to Disengage instead of pressing Momentum. A successful Disengage collapses all Momentum the disengaging combatant held. Disengagement is not an action — at the end of the Closing Phase, after all other actions have resolved, the disengaging combatant moves 10′. Resolving last ensures the withdrawal cannot be intercepted by unengaged foes acting later in the round.

Example — Disengagement (Declared in Clash, Resolved Last in Closing)

Sella is Engaged and wants out. Before the Clash, she declares Disengage. She wins: 2d6 (5+4=9) +1 (Melee Skill Mod) +1 (Prowess Mod) = 11 vs the raider’s 2d6 (2+3=5) +1 (Melee Skill Mod) +1 (Prowess Mod) = 7. She chooses Disengagement instead of pressing Momentum, collapsing any Momentum she held. At the end of the Closing Phase — after all other actions resolve — she moves 10′ clear of the raider.

Results: Disengage must be declared before the Clash; if you win all clashes you face, you may Disengage and then move 10′ at the end of the Closing Phase, after all other actions.

Weapon Reach is a specialized modifier used exclusively during the Engagement Clash. Once Momentum is secured, combatants are within effective striking distance. Reach does not apply to Momentum Press or Damage Resolution rolls.

Field Journal of Olpheon Kasmir, Man-at-Arms, Barony of Kalz

Some men swear by the sword. Good balance, they say. Fine in close quarters. Others like a heavy mace — crush right through the shield, crack bone through armor. I respect that. I do not share it. Give me my spear. Give me the reach. By the time a sword man is thinking about his angle I have already decided the fight. I keep the tip between us and he has to come through it to reach me. Most do not manage it cleanly. The smart ones know better than to try.

Momentum Press Segment

Momentum represents positional dominance and control of timing. A combatant who holds Momentum dictates the immediate flow of the fight.

Momentum Rules

A combatant may hold Momentum against only one target.
Momentum persists across rounds until broken.

Broken Momentum

Failing a Momentum Press or a defense.
Changing declared target, or target is removed or disengaged.

After Engagement Clashes are resolved, combatants who hold Momentum may initiate a Momentum Press. Only a combatant with Momentum may press their declared target.

Momentum Attack Total (Attacker with Momentum)
Melee Combat Skill Check + Situational Modifiers

Momentum Defense Total (Target)
Melee Combat Skill Check + Shield (if applicable) + Situational Modifiers

Outcomes:

Attacker wins: hit lands → Damage Resolution. Momentum persists.
Tie: no hit. Momentum persists.
Defender wins: no hit. Momentum collapses. Both return to Neutral State (Engaged).

If the attacker wins the Momentum Press, the hit lands and you resolve damage immediately. Damage Resolution is a procedure, not a separate step: whenever a hit lands (melee, ranged, rout, unaware, etc.), apply the Damage Resolution rules at once before moving on.

Example — Defender Wins, Momentum Collapses

Kest holds Momentum over Freyja and presses. Attack: 2d6 (3+2=5) +1 (Skill) +1 (Prowess) = 7. Freyja defends: 2d6 (5+4=9) +1 (Skill) +2 (Prowess) +2 (Shield) = 14. Freyja wins. No hit lands. Kest’s Momentum collapses immediately — both return to Neutral State. Next round, when the Melee Combat Resolution Phase begins, Kest and Freyja must roll a new Engagement Clash against each other. Neither holds any advantage going in.

Results: A defender winning a Momentum Press collapses the attacker’s Momentum entirely. Both combatants return to Neutral State and resolve a new Engagement Clash next round.

Momentum Press Order (Multiple Combatants)

When multiple Momentum Presses occur in the same melee:

Roll all Momentum Attack Totals.
Resolve Presses from highest to lowest. After each successful Press, resolve damage immediately before the next.
If a combatant fails a defense, all their Momentum immediately collapses, potentially canceling pending presses by that combatant.

High Attack rolls in a Momentum Press act as a form of “initiative” in multi-combatant melees. By striking first and forcing a failed defense, you can effectively “disarm” an opponent’s upcoming attack by collapsing their Momentum before they can resolve it.

Example — Collapsed Momentum (Multiple Combatants)

Freyja and Rodek both hold Momentum and roll their Attack Totals. Freyja rolls 13; Rodek rolls 10. Both are pressing the same target, Viktor. Freyja resolves first. Viktor defends: 2d6 (3+2=5) +0 (Skill) +1 (Prowess) +2 (Shield) = 8. Freyja wins (13 vs 8). The hit lands → damage resolves immediately. Viktor fails the defense — his Momentum collapses. Rodek held Momentum over Viktor, but Viktor’s collapse does not affect Rodek’s press. Rodek still resolves his press next. Now consider the reverse: if Viktor had held Momentum over Rodek and Freyja’s press forced Viktor to fail his defense, Viktor’s Momentum would collapse before his own press against Rodek could resolve — canceling it entirely.

Results: All press totals are rolled first, then resolved highest to lowest. A failed defense collapses all of that combatant’s Momentum immediately — any pending press they held is canceled before it can land.

Damage Resolution

Steel Age uses margin-based damage to reflect that decisive blows come from control, not randomness. The same contest that determines whether a strike lands also determines how cleanly it lands. A narrow success represents a glancing blow, unlikely to cause damage to an armored combatant, while a wide margin reflects dominance in timing and position. Damage is therefore an extension of momentum, not a separate event.

No separate damage roll is made. Calculate the attacker’s Margin of Success using only the raw 2d6 dice from the resolution that produced the hit. For melee, compare the raw dice from the Momentum Press: Attacker raw 2d6 vs Defender raw 2d6. Do not include any modifiers when calculating this margin.

Attacker Damage Total
Margin of Success + Prowess Modifier + Weapon Lethality + Situational Modifiers

For ranged or magic attacks, use Mind or Prowess (ranged) or the Path’s Casting Attribute (magic).

Defender Resilience Total
Toughness Modifier + Armor + Situational Modifiers

Armor in the Resilience formula refers to Armor Value (AV) — see Chapter VI for armor types, AV ratings, and costs.

Damage > Resilience	Defender loses Health equal to the margin. Defender gains 1 Fatigue.
Tie or Resilience ≥ Damage	Defender gains 1 Fatigue only.
Unaware target	Defender’s raw 2d6 treated as flat 4 (no roll made).

Example — Momentum Press → Damage Resolution (No Separate Damage Roll)

With Momentum, Hadrik presses. Attack: 2d6 (6+3=9) +2 (Melee Skill Mod) +2 (Prowess Mod) = 13. Bandit defends with shield: 2d6 (2+4=6) +1 (Melee Skill Mod) +1 (Prowess Mod) +2 (Shield Bonus) = 10. Hadrik wins; the hit lands.

Damage: raw 9 vs raw 6 → Margin 3. Damage Total: 3 (Margin) +2 (Prowess Mod) +2 (Spear Lethality) = 7. Resilience: +1 (Toughness Mod) +3 (Armor) = 4. Health loss: 7 − 4 = 3, and defender gains +1 Fatigue (applied in Aftermath).

Results: A hit uses the press’s raw 2d6 to set margin, then Damage Total vs Resilience; here the defender takes 3 Health and +1 Fatigue.

Optional Rule

Knockdown

If the attacker wins the Momentum Press and the raw 2d6 margin is 8 or greater, the attacker may choose to knock the defender Prone instead of dealing damage. Knockdown replaces all Health loss; the defender still gains 1 Fatigue and becomes Prone.

Example — Knockdown

Hadrik presses. Attack: 15. The bandit defends: 5. Raw margin: 11 − 3 = 8. Hadrik could deal damage — but the bandit is still standing at 7 Health and has allies nearby. He chooses Knockdown instead. The bandit gains 1 Fatigue, becomes Prone, and takes no Health loss. Next round the bandit cannot gain Momentum, cannot Disengage, and automatically loses Engagement Clashes until he stands. Hadrik’s allies are already moving.

Drev Halyphe, Mercenary, Barony of Ischykast

Last contract, fighting a baron’s man-at-arms. I hit him clean three times and the man barely slowed. Heavy gambeson, mail hauberk. My blade found the rings twice and stopped. I have killed men with worse blows than that. On him it was nothing.

Anyone who tells you armor does not matter has never stood across from someone properly equipped. Armor is the first question in any fight. Everything else comes after.

Neutral State

Neither combatant holds Momentum. Both must contest the Engagement Clash to establish control.

Momentum Held — Carried

You retained Momentum over this target from the previous round — it was not broken.

Skip the Engagement Clash. Proceed directly to Momentum Press.

↓

Engagement Clash

Score = Melee Skill Check + Reach
Highest total wins Momentum over their declared target. Targets must be declared before rolling. Ties result in neither combatant gaining Momentum.

Win

You gain Momentum over your declared target.

↓ Proceed to Momentum Press

Tie

No Momentum gained. Neither combatant may Press this round. Both remain in Neutral State.

Lose

Opponent gains Momentum over you. They may initiate a Momentum Press. You defend.

↓

Momentum Press

Attack = Melee Skill Check
Defense = Melee Skill Check + Shield
Attacker must exceed the Defense Total. Ties favour the defender — no hit, Momentum persists. Reach does not apply.

Entry from: Engagement Clash win · or Momentum carried from previous round

Attacker Wins

Hit lands. Momentum persists into the next round.

↓ Proceed to Damage Resolution

Tie

No hit. Momentum persists into the next round — no new Clash needed.

Defender Wins

No hit. Momentum collapses immediately. Both combatants return to Neutral State.

↓

Damage Resolution

Damage Total = Raw 2d6 Margin + Prowess Mod + Weapon Lethality
Resilience = Toughness Mod + Armor Value
Margin = attacker raw 2d6 − defender raw 2d6 from the Momentum Press. No new roll. No modifiers applied to margin.

Damage > Resilience — Wound

Defender loses Health equal to the difference. Defender gains +1 Fatigue.

Damage ≤ Resilience — Graze

No Health loss. Defender gains +1 Fatigue only.

Multiple Presses — Resolution Order

When multiple combatants hold Momentum, roll all Attack Totals first, then resolve highest to lowest. A failed defense collapses that combatant's Momentum immediately — any pending press they held is canceled before it can land.

Swarmed

If two or more enemies declare you as their target, you must resolve multiple Engagement Clashes. Lose one or more — gain +1 Fatigue in Aftermath. Waived if you already gained Fatigue from Damage Resolution this round.

Momentum Carryover

If you begin a round still Engaged with a target over whom you hold Momentum, skip the Engagement Clash against them entirely. Proceed directly to Momentum Press.

Momentum Collapse

A combatant may hold Momentum against one declared target only. Momentum collapses immediately if you fail a Momentum Defense, fail a Momentum Press, change your declared target, or your target disengages or is removed.

Multiple Combatants

Each combatant declares one target. Engagements resolve separately. A combatant may be Engaged with multiple enemies simultaneously — each pairing resolves its own Clash and Momentum independently.

Rear Attacks

If attacked from a rear vector, the attacker automatically wins the Engagement Clash. No roll is made. The defender may still roll their Momentum Defense normally if the attacker proceeds to a Press.

Ranged Combat

Use Ranged Combat when attacking at a distance — opening volleys, ambushes, skirmishing under fire, attacking from elevation or cover, and fighting while repositioning to maintain range.

Ranged Attack Total
2d6 + Ranged Combat Skill Modifier + Mind Modifier (Devices) or Prowess Modifier (Thrown) + Situational Modifiers

Ranged Defense Total
2d6 + Range Band Modifier + Cover Modifier + Situational Modifiers

Attacker must exceed the Ranged Defense Total. Ties favor the defender.

Range Bands

Band	Distance	Defense Modifier
Point Blank	0′ to 30′	+0
Short	31′ to 60′	+1
Medium	61′ to 120′	+2
Long	121′ to 240′	+3
Extreme	241′ to 300′	+4

Maximum Range by Weapon: Thrown Daggers and Axes — Short. Javelins, Spears, Slings — Medium. Bows and Crossbows — Long. Longbows — Extreme.

Cover Modifiers

Cover	Examples	Modifier
None	No cover	+0
Partial	Shield, high grass, low fence	+2
Solid	Battlements, large tree, building corner, two+ Partial sources	+4

A shield provides Partial Cover (+2) against ranged attacks from the front if the defender is aware. Shields provide no cover against rear attacks.

Aiming Action

Aimed shots reduce the effective range category by one band for that attack.
This benefit does not stack.
Any meaningful movement, taking damage, or being forced to defend breaks aim.

Example — Ranged Attack and Damage Resolution

Tomas has clear line on an unaware sentry at 45′ — Short range. No cover. He releases. Attack: 2d6 (5+4=9) +2 (Ranged Skill Mod) +2 (Mind Mod) = 13. The sentry is unaware; defender raw is flat 4. Hit. Raw margin: 9 − 4 = 5. Damage Total: 5 (Margin) +2 (Mind Mod) +2 (Bow Lethality) = 9. Resilience: +1 (Toughness Mod) +1 (Armor) = 2. Health loss: 9 − 2 = 7, and +1 Fatigue.

Results: Ranged damage uses the same margin procedure as melee. Unaware defender’s raw 2d6 is treated as flat 4 — surprise does not guarantee a hit, but the attacker does not face a meaningful defense roll.

Example — Poor Visibility and Ranged Attacks

The fight moves into deep shadow. Visibility is Poor. Tomas wants to release at a target who is not carrying a torch and is not near one. Poor visibility means he cannot Aim at unilluminated targets, and any sight-based ranged attack against them suffers −2. He releases anyway: Attack: 2d6 (4+3=7) +2 (Ranged Skill Mod) +2 (Mind Mod) −2 (Poor Visibility) = 9. If the target were clearly illuminated — standing near a fire, holding a torch — the penalty would not apply.

Results: Poor visibility imposes −2 to sight-based ranged attacks against unilluminated targets. Illuminated targets are unaffected. None visibility treats the target as Blind with respect to the attacker.

Shooting into Melee

When a ranged attacker targets a combatant who is Engaged with one or more of the attacker’s allies, those engaged allies provide cover to the target.

Cover from Engaged Allies

One engaged ally: Partial Cover (+2) to the target’s Ranged Defense Total
Two or more engaged allies: Solid Cover (+4) to the target’s Ranged Defense Total

This stacks with any other cover the target already has.

Stray Shot — if the attack misses, compare the miss margin (Defense Total − Attack Total). If the miss margin exceeds the threshold below, the shot strikes one engaged ally instead:

One engaged ally: miss margin > 4
Two or more engaged allies: miss margin > 2

If more than one engaged ally is eligible, determine the struck ally randomly. Resolve damage against the struck ally as an unaware target (defender raw = flat 4).

Ranged Special Cases

Rear Attacks: Attacks from the rear against an aware target grant no special bonuses. Rear shots primarily deny shield-based cover.

Unaware Targets: The defender does not roll; treat their total as a flat 4. This represents surprise without guaranteeing a hit.

Example — Unaware Target (Ranged, Flat 4)

A sentry watches the wrong road. Sella attacks: 2d6 (5+4=9) +2 (Ranged Skill Mod) +2 (Mind Mod) = 13. Defender flat 4. Hit. Raw margin: 9 − 4 = 5. Damage Total: 5 +2 (Mind Mod) +2 (Bow Lethality) = 9. Resilience: +1 (Toughness Mod) +1 (Armor) = 2. Health loss: 9 − 2 = 7, and +1 Fatigue.

Results: Unaware ranged defense is flat 4; use raw margin to resolve damage normally.

Ammunition & Thrown Weapons

Ammunition is tracked unless the GM rules the campaign will use abstracted ammunition. Thrown weapons are expended when used. Recovering a thrown weapon requires one full action and cannot be done while engaged in melee.

Fatigue & Wounds

Fatigue: Each Fatigue applies −1 to all die rolls. Fatigue stacks cumulatively. All Fatigue is applied during the Aftermath and does not affect rolls until the next round.

Above 50% Health: Unwounded. No effect on combat.
At 50% or below (above 0): Wounded. Gain 1 Fatigue at the end of each round (Aftermath) in addition to other Fatigue sources until healed. Starts in the following round.
Reduced to 0 Health: Incapacitated. See below.

Optional Rule

Last Push

A single hard-breath moment where a character refuses to collapse and acts as though they have one clean round left. Each character may use Last Push once per day. Declare at the start of the Opening Phase, before Opening Order is set.

Effect: Until the end of that round, ignore all penalties imposed by Fatigue and Fatigue-caused movement reduction. The Fatigue itself is not removed.

Cost: At the end of the round (Aftermath), gain +1 Fatigue that cannot be prevented or reduced.

Does not: restore Health, remove Incapacitated, prevent death, Trauma, or bleeding, or remove any condition other than Fatigue.

Incapacitation, Stabilization & Death

Combat in Steel Age is unforgiving. When a warrior falls, it is not abstraction — it is blood, breath, and the narrow margin between survival and oblivion.

When a character is reduced to 0 Health, resolve the Trauma Check immediately.

Trauma Check (at 0 Health)

Wound Margin = Damage remaining after Health is reduced to 0
Roll 2d6. The result must be equal to or less than (Toughness − Wound Margin).

Failure: The character dies instantly.

Success: The character survives but becomes Incapacitated.

Example — Trauma Check at 0 Health

A halberd blow drops Alrik to 0 Health with 4 damage remaining; Wound Margin = 4. Alrik’s Toughness is 8, so the trauma threshold is 8 − 4 = 4. He rolls 2d6 (1+2=3) and survives, becoming Incapacitated. In Aftermath he begins Bleeding Out and gains +1 Fatigue.

Results: At 0 Health, compute Wound Margin and roll the Trauma Check; on success become Incapacitated and begin Bleeding Out in Aftermath.

Incapacitated

Falls prone and drops held items.
Cannot attack, defend, or take strenuous actions.
Is considered Helpless.
May speak weakly or crawl a short distance at GM’s discretion.

Bleeding Out

At the end of each round (Aftermath), gain 1 Fatigue from bleeding.
If Fatigue equals or exceeds Toughness, the character dies.
Scene stays in combat rounds until Stabilized or dead — even if no enemies remain.

Stabilization Procedures

Stabilize (Begin): Must be adjacent to the target and not Engaged. Spend one action step. Commits you to finishing stabilization on your next action step.

Stabilize (Finish): Must still be adjacent, still not Engaged. Spend one action step, then make a Healing Skill Check:

CM 8: clean access, supplies, no immediate threat
CM 10: poor light, time pressure, messy wounds
CM 12+: catastrophic injury, no supplies, active danger

Success: target is Stabilized; stops gaining Fatigue from Bleeding Out. Failure: target continues Bleeding Out.

Interruption: If you become Engaged, are moved from the target, or cannot take your next action step, the attempt fails and must be restarted.

Tools: A Healer’s Kit is standard. Without it, increase CM by +2. A Physician’s Kit covers both Healer’s and Surgeon’s Kit use. A Surgeon’s Kit grants the patient +1 on their next Scars Test from this injury.

For Medical Rounds, recovery from 0 Health, long-term wound healing, and the broader consequences of death and retirement, see Chapter VIII: Injury, Death, and Retirement.

Igor, Bandit, Forests of the Barony of Velmara

Pell took the bolt in the side when we hit that merchant. I got to him before anyone else. He was breathing, eyes open, trying to say something. I pressed my hands down where the blood was coming and I held on. That is what you do. You hold on.

He died before I could get the bleeding to stop. I do not know how long it took. Not long. Long enough that I remember every second of it. He was not a bad man. None of us are, mostly. We were just hungry.

Multi-Opponent Engagement

Each combatant declares one target from among the enemies they are Engaged with.
Engagements are resolved separately.
If a combatant must resolve multiple Engagement Clashes in a round, they are Swarmed.
Momentum may be held against only one opponent (the declared target).
If a combatant fails any defense, it collapses any Momentum they held.

Swarmed

Trigger: 2 or more enemies choose you as their target — you must resolve multiple Engagement Clashes this round.

Procedure: If you lose one or more of those Engagement Clashes, gain +1 Fatigue at the end of the round (Aftermath). Swarmed Fatigue is waived if you already gained Fatigue from Damage Resolution this round. It is not waived by Fatigue from the Wounded state.

Example — Swarmed

Two raiders choose Hadrik as their target. Versus Raider A: Hadrik wins (15 vs 12). Versus Raider B: Hadrik loses (11 vs 14). Raider B presses, but Hadrik defends successfully. Because Hadrik lost at least one Clash and did not gain Fatigue from Damage Resolution this round, he takes +1 Fatigue in Aftermath.

Results: Swarmed triggers on multiple Clashes + losing one or more; adds +1 Fatigue in Aftermath unless you already took Damage-Resolution Fatigue.

Special Cases

Committed Foes

Some creatures fight with savage commitment. They do not disengage, preserve caution, or fight for measured control.

Engagement Clash is rolled normally.
Committed Combatants may preserve Momentum across rounds. Momentum cannot persist against them across rounds.
If a Committed Combatant wins a Momentum Press, Momentum persists.
If a Committed Combatant is the attacker and loses a Momentum Press, it automatically suffers damage and Momentum collapses.
If a Committed Combatant is the defender and fails against another combatant's Press, it loses Momentum normally — the automatic damage rule does not apply.
Committed Combatants do not voluntarily disengage. Fatigue accrual is creature-specific.

A Relentless Committed Combatant is terrifying once it gains advantage. Its aggression carries risk — a failed press exposes it to harm. Momentum may persist for the creature, but never against it across rounds. Control must be seized and held immediately — or endured under pressure.

Prone in Melee

An Engaged prone combatant cannot gain Momentum, cannot disengage, and automatically loses Engagement Clashes.

Roll 2d6 + Prowess modifier only — no weapon skill modifier applies.

If the prone combatant successfully defends against all Momentum Presses in a turn, they may stand at the end of the step.

Blind Combatant

A Blind combatant cannot Aim, cannot initiate a Momentum Press, and automatically loses Engagement Clashes against sighted opponents. They may defend normally in a Momentum Press but gain no Shield bonus. Ties in Momentum Press resolution are treated as attacker wins.

The Blind state ends when vision is restored or a stated duration expires. The GM determines whether blindness is total or partial; partial blindness may impose situational penalties instead.

Helpless Target

A Helpless combatant is asleep, bound, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to resist. A Helpless target may be killed automatically if the attacker has a lethal weapon, time to execute the act, and no meaningful interference. No roll is required. If circumstances are chaotic or rushed, the GM may instead require a Trauma Check at extreme Wound Margin.

Unaware Target (Melee Ambush)

No Engagement Clash is rolled.
The attacker automatically gains Momentum.
The Momentum Press automatically succeeds.
The attacker rolls 2d6 for damage as normal. The defender’s raw 2d6 result is treated as a flat 4.
Resolve Damage normally. After resolution, the defender becomes aware and combat proceeds normally. Momentum persists unless broken.

Example — Unaware Melee (Flat 4 for Defender Raw)

Sella slips behind an unaware sentry. No Clash; she gains Momentum and the Press succeeds automatically. Rolls raw 2d6 (6+3=9); defender’s raw = flat 4. Margin: 9 − 4 = 5. Damage Total: 5 (Margin) +2 (Prowess Mod) +1 (Dagger Lethality) = 8. Resilience: +1 (Toughness Mod) +1 (Armor) = 2. Health loss: 8 − 2 = 6 and +1 Fatigue.

Results: Unaware melee skips Clash/Press and uses defender raw 4 for margin, then resolves damage normally.

Restraint & Overbear

A Restrained combatant is physically controlled, pinned, or overborne and cannot maneuver freely.

Restraint Procedure

Declare intent to Restrain before the Engagement Clash. The declaring combatant’s Reach Modifier is set to 0.
Resolve Engagement Clash. If the restraining combatant wins, they may Press to complete the Restraint.
If the attacker wins the Momentum Press by a margin of 8 or more (using full modded totals), the target becomes Restrained instead of taking damage.
If the margin requirement is not met, the attacker’s Momentum immediately collapses.

Restraint may only be attempted if the attacker is unarmed, or wielding a weapon capable of binding, hooking, or physically controlling an opponent (GM adjudicated).

If two or more attackers hold Momentum after declaring a Restraint attempt against the same target, they may forfeit damage and impose Restrained instead (Coordinated Control).

Effects of Restrained

Cannot move · Cannot initiate Engagement or gain Momentum · Cannot use a shield · Defends using Prowess modifier only · Restraining does not automatically cause damage.

Breaking Free: During the next round’s Closing Phase, roll 2d6 + Prowess vs 2d6 + Prowess against one restraining opponent. If multiple restrainers exist, use the highest Prowess among them, adding +1 per restraining combatant. On success, no longer Restrained. Breaking free does not grant Momentum.

Example — Restraint (Successful Overbear)

Hadrik wants to take the bandit alive. Before the Engagement Clash he declares Restraint — his Reach Modifier drops to 0. He wins the Clash. He presses: Attack 2d6 (5+4=9) +2 (Skill) +2 (Prowess) = 13. The bandit defends: 2d6 (3+1=4) +1 (Skill) +1 (Prowess) = 6. Full-modded margin: 13 − 6 = 7. Not enough — the requirement is 8 or more. Hadrik’s Momentum collapses immediately. Both return to Neutral State.

Next round his press lands with a full-modded margin of 9. The bandit is Restrained — cannot move, cannot initiate Engagement, cannot use his shield, defends with Prowess only. In the Closing Phase the bandit attempts to break free: 2d6 (3+2=5) +1 (Prowess) = 6 vs Hadrik’s 2d6 (4+3=7) +2 (Prowess) = 9. The bandit fails — he stays Restrained.

Results: Restraint requires a full-modded margin of 8 or more on the Momentum Press. Failure collapses Momentum immediately. A restrained combatant may attempt to break free each Closing Phase with a contested Prowess check.

Sella, Overheard in a Bar in Kashfen

He had good scale over a solid hauberk and he knew it. Moved like a man who had never been seriously hurt. Took three of us to bring him down and even then he was fighting it. But once Kael and Dorn had his arms pinned and he could not get any angle — that was it. All that armor and he could not do a thing about the dagger. Found the gap under the arm on the first try. He stopped moving fast after that.

Armor matters until it doesn’t. Get a man restrained and the equation changes entirely.

Aftermath Procedure: Morale & Panic

Morale and Panic are resolved in the Aftermath — fear does not slow the blade mid-swing. It settles in when the round's violence is counted. These checks determine whether combatants hold formation, hesitate, or break, based on what they witnessed and endured during the round.

Morale Triggers

A morale check is required during the Aftermath when any of the following has occurred in the combat round:

The group's leader falls (Organized Groups only).
The group suffers 50% casualties and is outnumbered by a 2:1 ratio.
The group suffers a catastrophic or supernatural shock.

Each trigger causes a single morale check.

Morale Resolution

Organized Groups (Humanoids, Warbands, Soldiers):
Morale Score = Command & Tactics Skill Check (2d6 + Command Skill Modifier + Charm Modifier)
If no clear leader is present, use the highest Charm modifier; Command is +0. If the leader just fell, apply −2.

Beasts and Low-Intelligence Creatures:
Morale Score = 2d6 + Toughness modifier. They do not benefit from Command.

Mindless Entities: No morale checks unless specifically noted.

Roll against a fixed Challenge Mark (typically CM 9 or 10).

Success (Morale > CM): The group holds and continues fighting normally.
Failure (Morale ≤ CM): The group becomes Panicked.
Failure by 4 or more: Immediate Rout.

Panicked State

All engaged members must attempt to disengage during the next melee phase.
All unengaged members must withdraw via movement during the next available phase and continue to withdraw until perceived safety is reached.
If a member becomes engaged while withdrawing, they must attempt to disengage next melee phase.
If a member fails to disengage during a melee phase, they become Routed.

Rout State

A routed combatant turns and flees in the next available phase (Opening or Closing) without attempting to safely disengage.
This prompts an immediate Damage Resolution from each enemy the combatant is engaged with, with a default roll of 4 by the routed combatant.
Rout represents complete collapse of cohesion.

Recovery

Morale collapse does not include recovery during combat except through Command & Tactics perks. If a group successfully withdraws, the encounter ends unless pursuit occurs. Recovery or regrouping is handled narratively after combat.

Example — Leader Falls → Morale Check → Panicked

A warband's leader drops. CM is 10. The best surviving voice rolls: 2d6 (4+2=6) +2 (Command Mod) +1 (Charm Mod) −2 (Situational Penalty) = 7. Because 7 ≤ 10, morale fails and the group becomes Panicked.

Results: Morale is 2d6 + Command + Charm (+ situational) vs CM; failing makes the group Panicked.

Morale in Steel Age is a threshold mechanic. It does not function as a gradual psychological track. It represents structural collapse of cohesion and exists to resolve encounters decisively while reinforcing the importance of leadership and battlefield positioning.

Combat Example: Three Against Three on the Clearing Road

This example walks through one full combat round, showing Opening Order, Opening actions, Engagement Clash, Momentum Press, immediate damage, Aftermath, and momentum carryover into the next round.

The Situation

Freyja, Viktor, and Tomas have walked into the middle of a handoff. Three of Kest's men hold a stretch of forest road. Weapons are out on both sides. There is no more room for talk.

Tomas had his bow nocked from fifty yards back when he spotted the shapes in the tree line. By the time the bandits step into the road, he's already at a loose draw. Freyja and Viktor flank him on the road, fifteen feet ahead. The three men spread across the path at roughly thirty feet: Kest and his sword in the center, Brynn a step behind him to the right with a spear and shield, Rodek cutting wide right with an axe.

Initial position: Tomas is roughly 10′ behind Freyja and Viktor. The three bandits are approximately 20′ in front. At roughly 30′ separation, Brynn is at the upper edge of Point Blank range from Tomas.

Nobody charges yet. Opening Order is set.

Combatants

Name	Role	HP	Key Combat Skill	Weapon	Armor	Shield	Resilience
Freyja	Veteran guard	9	Melee Skilled (+1)	Spear (R2, L2)	2	+2	3
Viktor	Scholar-caster	8	Melee Trained (+0)	Sword (R1, L2)	1	+2	2
Tomas	Scout/archer	7	Ranged Skilled (+1)	Bow (L2)	1	—	1
Kest	Bandit leader	9	Melee Skilled (+1)	Sword (R1, L2)	2	+2	3
Rodek	Bandit	7	Melee Trained (+0)	Axe (R1, L3)	1	—	1
Brynn	Veteran bandit	8	Melee Skilled (+1)	Spear (R2, L2)	2	+2	3

Note: No combatant in this example has Command & Tactics, so the Command modifier is +0 for all.

Phase I — Opening Phase

Since it is the first round of combat, determine Opening Order.

Formula: Opening Order Score = 2d6 + Mind modifier + Command & Tactics modifier + situational modifiers

Combatant	Roll	Mind	Command	Total
Tomas	6+4 = 10	+2	+0	12
Kest	4+5 = 9	+1	+0	10
Viktor	5+2 = 7	+2	+0	9
Freyja	4+3 = 7	+1	+0	8
Rodek	4+3 = 7	+0	+0	7
Brynn	5+1 = 6	+0	+0	6

Opening Order: Tomas → Kest → Viktor → Freyja → Rodek → Brynn

Phase I — Opening Phase continued

Only combatants not yet Engaged may act. Engagement status is checked when each combatant's turn is reached. Fatigue from this phase is deferred to Aftermath.

Tomas (12) — Release. Tomas has a clear line on Brynn. Brynn is unengaged and unaware he has been targeted. 30′ — upper edge of Point Blank. No cover.

Attack: 2d6 (5+3=8) + Ranged Skilled (+1) + Mind (+2) = 11
Defense: 2d6 (3+2=5) + Point Blank (+0) + no cover = 5
Attack (11) > Defense (5) → Hit.
Damage: raw 8 − 5 = 3 (margin) +2 (Mind) +2 (Bow Lethality) = 7 vs Resilience 3 → Health loss 4

Brynn: 8 → 4 HP. +1 Fatigue (deferred). Now at exactly 50% — Wounded threshold. Wounded Fatigue begins next round's Aftermath.

Kest (10) — Move. Closes to Freyja. Kest and Freyja are Engaged.

Viktor (9) — Move. Intercepts Rodek. Viktor and Rodek are Engaged.

Freyja (8) — Engaged; cannot act. Kest reached her before her turn came up.

Rodek (7) — Engaged; cannot act. Viktor moved to engage him first.

Brynn (6) — Move. Badly hurt but closes anyway. Reaches Viktor. Brynn and Viktor are Engaged. Note: the +1 Fatigue from Tomas's arrow is deferred — Brynn acts at full effectiveness this round.

End of Opening Phase: Freyja engaged with Kest. Viktor engaged with Rodek and Brynn. Tomas unengaged — bow discharged.

Phase II — Melee Combat Resolution

Declare Targets

Combatant	Target
Freyja	Kest
Viktor	Rodek
Kest	Freyja
Rodek	Viktor
Brynn	Viktor

Viktor must resolve Clashes against both Rodek and Brynn — he is Swarmed.

Engagement Clash Segment

All begin in Neutral State. Formula: 2d6 + Melee Skill Mod + Prowess Mod + Reach. Reach applies here only.

Clash 1: Freyja vs. Kest

Freyja: 2d6 (5+3=8) + Melee Skilled (+1) + Prowess (+2) + Spear Reach (+2) = 13
Kest: 2d6 (4+3=7) + Melee Skilled (+1) + Prowess (+1) + Sword Reach (+1) = 10
Freyja wins. Freyja gains Momentum over Kest.

Clash 2: Viktor vs. Rodek

Viktor: 2d6 (4+2=6) + Melee Trained (+0) + Prowess (+1) + Sword Reach (+1) = 8
Rodek: 2d6 (5+3=8) + Melee Trained (+0) + Prowess (+1) + Axe Reach (+1) = 10
Rodek wins. Rodek gains Momentum over Viktor.

Clash 3: Viktor vs. Brynn

Viktor: 2d6 (2+4=6) + Melee Trained (+0) + Prowess (+1) + Sword Reach (+1) = 8
Brynn: 2d6 (4+3=7) + Melee Skilled (+1) + Prowess (+1) + Spear Reach (+2) = 11
Brynn wins. Brynn gains Momentum over Viktor.

Viktor lost both Clashes — Swarmed: +1 Fatigue in Aftermath, unless he takes Fatigue from Damage Resolution this round.

Momentum Press Segment

Roll all Momentum Attack Totals, then resolve highest to lowest. Formula: Attack = 2d6 + Melee Skill Mod + Prowess Mod. Defense = 2d6 + Melee Skill Mod + Prowess Mod + Shield.

Attacker	Roll	Skill	Prowess	Attack Total
Freyja (pressing Kest)	2d6 (5+4=9)	+1	+2	12
Brynn (pressing Viktor)	2d6 (4+5=9)	+1	+1	11
Rodek (pressing Viktor)	2d6 (6+2=8)	+0	+1	9

Press order: Freyja (12) → Brynn (11) → Rodek (9)

Press 1: Freyja presses Kest (Attack 12)

Kest defends: 2d6 (3+2=5) + Skilled (+1) + Prowess (+1) + Shield (+2) = 9
Attack (12) > Defense (9) → Hit. Freyja's Momentum persists.
Damage: raw 9 − 5 = 4 (margin) +2 (Prowess) +2 (Spear Lethality) = 8 vs Resilience 3 → Health loss 5

Kest: 9 → 4 HP. +1 Fatigue (deferred). At 44% — below Wounded threshold. Kest is now Wounded.

Press 2: Brynn presses Viktor (Attack 11)

Viktor defends: 2d6 (4+3=7) + Trained (+0) + Prowess (+1) + Shield (+2) = 10
Attack (11) > Defense (10) → Hit. Brynn's Momentum persists.
Damage: raw 9 − 7 = 2 (margin) +1 (Prowess) +2 (Spear Lethality) = 5 vs Resilience 2 → Health loss 3

Viktor: 8 → 5 HP. +1 Fatigue (deferred). Above 50% — still Unwounded. Viktor gained Fatigue from Damage Resolution — Swarmed penalty is waived.

Press 3: Rodek presses Viktor (Attack 9)

Viktor defends: 2d6 (5+2=7) + Trained (+0) + Prowess (+1) + Shield (+2) = 10
Attack (9) < Defense (10) → Viktor wins. No hit. Rodek's Momentum collapses.

Phase III — Closing Phase

Only Tomas is Unengaged. He nocks a new arrow and holds — the melee is too tight for a clean shot. He watches, picks his angle. The bow is ready for next round.

Phase III — Closing Phase · Aftermath

Fatigue Applied

Combatant	Source	Fatigue This Round	Total
Freyja	—	0	0
Viktor	Hit by Brynn (Damage Resolution)	+1	1
Tomas	—	0	0
Kest	Hit by Freyja (Damage Resolution)	+1	1
Rodek	—	0	0
Brynn	Hit by Tomas (Ranged, Damage Resolution)	+1	1

Viktor's Swarmed penalty (+1 Fatigue) is waived — he already gained Fatigue from Damage Resolution.

Wounded State

Kest (44% HP) and Brynn (50% HP) are now Wounded. Wounded Fatigue (+1 per Aftermath) begins next round's Aftermath, not this one.

Morale Check

Kest is still on his feet. No casualties on either side. No morale trigger this round.

End of Round 1 — Status

Combatant	HP	Fatigue	State	Momentum
Freyja	9/9	0	Fine	Over Kest ✓
Viktor	5/8	1	Fine	None
Tomas	7/7	0	Bow ready	—
Kest	4/9	1	Wounded*	None
Rodek	7/7	0	Fine	None
Brynn	4/8	1	Wounded*	Over Viktor ✓

*Wounded Fatigue (+1 per Aftermath) begins next round.

Looking Ahead: Round 2

Momentum carries. Freyja ends with Momentum over Kest. Brynn retains Momentum over Viktor. Both proceed directly to Momentum Press next round — no new Engagement Clash needed against those targets.

In Round 2's Aftermath, Kest and Brynn will each gain +1 Fatigue from Wounded on top of any combat Fatigue. Each Fatigue point applies −1 to all die rolls. The clock is running.

Tomas has a loaded bow and a decision. His allies are locked in active melee. Shooting into Melee rules apply.

Targeting Kest (Engaged with Freyja — one ally): Freyja provides Partial Cover (+2) on Kest's Ranged Defense. Miss by margin > 4 → stray shot hits Freyja as an unaware target.
Targeting Rodek (Engaged with Viktor — one ally): same math. Partial Cover (+2), stray shot threshold > 4.

Tomas must weigh the risk — Viktor is in worse shape and may not survive another round, but putting an arrow in Freyja to save Viktor is not a trade he wants to make carelessly.

Systems Demonstrated

System	Where It Appeared
Opening Order	All six combatants rolled; order set the opening sequence
Ranged combat in Opening Phase	Tomas shot Brynn before the melee closed
Fatigue deferred to Aftermath	Brynn took a hit but acted at full effectiveness in the same round
Engagement movement and Engaged status	Combatants became Engaged as they closed; later-order combatants lost their Opening action
Swarmed state	Viktor resolved multiple Engagement Clashes against Rodek and Brynn
Swarmed Fatigue — triggered	Viktor lost both Clashes
Swarmed Fatigue — waived	Viktor's Swarmed Fatigue cancelled by Damage Resolution Fatigue
Momentum acquisition	Freyja over Kest; Rodek and Brynn over Viktor
Momentum Press order (highest to lowest)	Freyja 13 → Brynn 12 → Rodek 10
Damage Resolution (raw dice, no modifiers)	All three presses
Momentum persistence on successful press	Freyja retains Momentum over Kest into Round 2
Momentum collapse on failed defense	Rodek's Momentum collapses after Viktor's defense
Wounded threshold	Kest (44%) and Brynn (50%) after Round 1
Wounded Fatigue start timing	Begins next round's Aftermath, not current
Closing Phase — unengaged actor	Tomas readied his bow
No morale trigger	Conditions not met
Momentum carryover into Round 2	Freyja skips Clash vs. Kest; Brynn skips Clash vs. Viktor
Shooting into Melee — cover from engaged allies	Tomas faces Partial Cover (+2) on any melee target in Round 2
Shooting into Melee — stray shot threshold	Miss margin > 4 risks striking an allied combatant

Combat

Combat Scale

The Combat Round

Action Summary

Engagement States

Arms and Armor in Combat

Weapons in Combat

Armor in Combat

Melee Combat Resolution

Engagement Clash Segment (Neutral State)

Momentum Carryover

Rear Engagement

Disengagement

Momentum Press Segment

Momentum Press Order (Multiple Combatants)

Damage Resolution

Knockdown

Melee Combat Resolution

Ranged Combat

Range Bands

Cover Modifiers

Aiming Action

Shooting into Melee

Ranged Special Cases

Ammunition & Thrown Weapons

Fatigue & Wounds

Last Push

Incapacitation, Stabilization & Death

Trauma Check (at 0 Health)

Stabilization Procedures

Multi-Opponent Engagement

Swarmed

Special Cases

Restraint Procedure

Aftermath Procedure: Morale & Panic

Morale Triggers

Morale Resolution

Panicked State

Rout State

Recovery

Combat Example: Three Against Three on the Clearing Road

Combatants

Declare Targets

Engagement Clash Segment

Momentum Press Segment

Fatigue Applied

Wounded State

Morale Check

End of Round 1 — Status

Looking Ahead: Round 2

Systems Demonstrated