Unlike other game systems that break down combat into a number or rounds, each spanning a specific period of time during which actors are assumed to be taking several actions like attacking and dodging that do or don't result in damage at the end of the round, ND1 takes a different approach where each individual attack, such as a specific type of sword thrust, or defensive action, like dodging a sword thrust, takes a variable length of time calculated in Action Sequence Increments (ASI), depending on what the actors involved do. There are no combat rounds, instead, all actions take place on a continuum where Actors spend Action Points on Actions and that process determines how many Action Sequence Increments an action takes. All Actors involved in the Action Sequence calculate how many ASI their action(s) will take and those are mapped out on a running timeline of ASI. For example, a short combat with two Actors, where one is knocked out very quickly might only take 10 ASI, whereas a large combat with many powerful Actors may take hundreds of ASI to resolve.

For play around a table it is recommended that the GM keep record of the current Action Sequence Increment with a numerical counter on the table. This could simply be scratch paper with a number written on it, a phone or calculator displaying a number, etc.

Illustrative Example: although at the time this page was written the rules governing actions aren't fully fleshed out, here is a description of how the system is intended to work: all Action Sequences start on ASI 0. Actors secretly decide what they intend to do after the GM has described the circumstance the Actors find themselves in, and announced that an Action Sequence has begun. At that point all Actors involved secretly choose the actions they intend to take, the points they intend to allocate toward them, and in an in-person game around a table, would use a stack of Card Props face down to commit to those actions secretly. Meanwhile the other players are doing the same, perhaps discussing how they will coordinate Actions, while the GM is doing the same for all the NPC's or Environmental Actors involved in the Action Sequence.

Note: the term Action Sequence is used instead of Combat Sequence; that is intentional to reflect the fact that the same system can be used to flesh out dangerous or time-bound scenes in the game, like a car chase, flight from a rolling bolder trap, etc.

This term refers to any Prop that is used to track the current ASI number, as well as any declared actions on upcoming ASI numbers. For play around the table with Pencil and Paper or Card Props, it is recommended to use graph paper or a battle mat with ascending numbers on each square, beginning with 1 in the top left corner square, where each square represents an ASI number. That way tokens that match those on an Actor's Action Card Stack can be placed on the corresponding ASI numbers on the continuum to put declared actions in the right sequence.

A visual example of an Action Sequence Continuum:
(insert picture here of a battle mat with tokens and card stacks)

When playing around a table with Cards & Tokens Props, participants in a Combat Action Sequence follow the steps below until combat is resolved.

1. GM: inform the players that a Combat Action Sequence has begun, and describe the circumstance, environment, NPC Actors involved, and optionally, put figures on a battle mat.
2. GM: place the Combat Action Sequence Continuum prop on the gaming table and provide one or more unique tokens in matching pairs to each player, keeping 1-2 pairs for each NPC Actor involved. These will be used to match Action card stacks to the ASI number on the continuum they go on (see below).
3. Players: draw cards from the various stacks on the table for each Stat, Ability, and Skilled Action on their Actor's sheet, plus one card for each Common Action they may decide to take (if this step wasn't already done at the beginning of the game session). For example, if the Actor has 5 STR, they should draw STR cards totaling 5 in whatever increments they desire. Repeat this for all Stats in The Trine. When done with this step, you should have your Actor's character sheet represented in card piles of different types before you on the table.
4. Players & DM: begin secretly planning the Actions(s) their Actors will take. Remember: actions take place in the order they are declared.
   1. Decide on the first action they will take and draw the corresponding Classification, Action Type, and Specific Action Card secretly to form your hand of cards. Consult that Action description on this wiki or on the corresponding card face to discover what Stat Point Pools are required to use it.
   2. If the Action is an attack on an opponent, draw a Location card from the community pile into your hand. This represents the location your Actor intends to attack.
   3. Draw from your character card piles created in Step 3 above the required number of AP (FIT or WIT) into your hand of cards in front of the Specific Action card. Usually this is a 1 point Ante to entitle the Actor to take the chosen action but not always. Consult the Action Card to be sure.
   4. Decide how many Stat Points will be invested in the Action. Usually Actions will call for two opposing Stats, like STR that adds damage to a melee attack but makes it take longer, and AGI that offsets STR by making the attack quicker. Decide the right balance for the Actor's strategy and draw that many Stat Point cards from your character card piles into your hand. This is the Actor's Stat Bid and completes the process of secretly planning an action. When done, your hand of cards should be in the exact order shown on the Card Layout page.
   5. Now calculate the ASI number the action will go on. By way of example, let's assume the Action was readying a Dodge, in which case 1 AP(FIT) was invested, and 1 AGI Stat Point, so the Dodge Action will be ready (executed, or adjudicated by the GM) on ASI 2 since combat started on AGI 0.
   6. Place your hand of cards face down on the table to make an “Action Stack.” Once Action Stacks are placed face down on the table, no further changes can be made. This is to prevent Actors from changing what they intend to do after they realize what ASI opponent's actions go on.
   7. Wait for all other players and the GM to also complete making one Action Stack.
5. GM: once all participants have completed their Action Stacks, place one of the unique token pairs on top of the Action Stack of one of the NPC actors the GM is controlling, and it's matching token on the Action Sequence Continuum, thereby revealing the ASI number that NPC Actor's Unknown Action will be resolved. Repeat this step for the first Action Stacks of all NPCs in the combat.
6. Players: in any order declare the ASI their action will go on to the GM by placing one of the unique token pairs on top of their Actor's first Action Stack and it's matching token on the Action Sequence Continuum on the corresponding ASI square (ASI 2 using the Dodge example above).
7. Now that all participants have chosen one Action and the order all actions will go in is visible to all on the Action Sequence Continuum, participants may repeat the steps above to select 2nd actions, 3rd actions, and so on, up to the limit of their Action Point and Stat Point Pools to invest in actions. Each successive action ASI is added to the ASI of the last action an Actor took. So, continuing the example of an ASI 2 Dodge first action, if that same Actor chose to declare a 5 ASI melee attack 2nd Action, and had enough AP & Stat Points to do that, their 2nd Action would go on ASI 7 (2+5)
8. GM: when no one chooses to declare any more Actions the GM begins adjudicating each Action that has been declared in the order they appear on the Continuum, beginning with the lowest ASI.
   1. As Actions result in Stat Damage of the Actors involved in combat, effected Actors must immediately remove the corresponding Stat Points from any Point Pools represented by the character card piles created in Step 3 above that weren't invested in Actions (if any). If no points remain in reserve, the player controlling the effected Actor must make a choice immediately: 1) Abort one or more of their upcoming declared actions on the Continuum to recoup those Stat Points as Damage, or 2) remove enough Stat Points from the upcoming declared Action(s) to become Damage points, thereby weakening the Outcome of that Action accordingly.
9. At any time after any Action on the Continuum has been resolved, but before the GM begins to adjudicate the next Action, any participant in the combat may declare one or more new Actions provided that they have the AP & Stat Points to do so, either because:
   1. They held those points in reserve
   2. A prior Action they declared was completed and the Stat Points dedicated to it were returned to their Pools
   3. Or because they Aborted Actions as a result of Damage points
10. Continue Repeating Steps 8-9 until combat is resolved.