====== General Rules of Attack ======

The **Weapon Actions (WA)** determine the number of attacks and parries that
can be made per phase with a weapon.

The WA may be thought of as the number of points a character can spend
buying attacks and parries.

The **Shield Actions (SA)** are the number of shield parries that can be used
each phase.

The WA or SA will be decimal numbers such as 1.8.

In the basic game the WA and SA are rounded to the nearest whole number 
(ie. 1.8 goes to 2 and 1.3 goes to 1), but the optional rules of [[Variable Weapon and Shield Actions|section 10.1]] give an alternate method of finding the number of actions each phase.

A weapon or shield can be used in a number of fashions.

A character may choose to use a quick **Short stroke**, a **Normal stroke**,
or a more developed **Long stroke** to deliver greater impact.

These Short, Normal, and Long strokes can be compared to a jab, straight
punch, and haymaker in boxing.

The Impact Damage and number of actions used by each is summarized on the
following table.

^ **Type of Stroke** ^ **Number of Actions** ^ **The Blow Does** ^
| Short |  1  |  Half Impact Damage  |
| Normal |  2  |  Normal Impact Damage  |
| Long |  3  |  Double Impact Damage  |
| Parry  |  1  |  --  |

One Weapon Action may be "saved" from one phase to be used in the next (ie. a character with a WA of 2 may hold one action 1 phase and have 1 + 2 = 3 actions the next phase.)

Note that only one Weapon Action may be saved from one phase to be used in the next.

===== Movement Faster Than Combat Speed =====

A character moving faster than his Combat
Speed has his Weapon Actions (WA) and Shield Actions (SA) penalized.

Moving at N times the Combat Speed, the WA and SA values are their normal
values minus N/2.

General Rules of Attack [R-FRP4-8.1.6.1]