The original intent for the game, way back when it was conceived in the dirty parts of the soiled mattress of my mind, was to go around and ask people to hold up coloured cards that represented the level of their abilities during conflict / confrontation resolution. The colours were confusing at first, so I labelled each card with a number. Soon, the cards were slowly phased out and decided by the Alpha Crew and myself that they just weren't useful. Still undeterred, I wanted to keep this as a simple, easy system that flows well for old and new role-players alike. The original intent is still there (calling out what each person has for a rank in their skill), so we pressed forward until the dreaded Combat System. Offensive, defensive, assistance, aiding, hindering, dodging, evading, avoiding ... All these words came up and I am completely honest when I say that I was flustered on more than one occasion. More than one night ended with me tossing my hands in the air and screaming "Screw it!". Okay, not literally, but the palpable aura around me was saying it, even if I wasn't verbalizing it. But ...