[Crux] conflict system - need some help, please

hey all,

I've been working diligently on Crux, and have finalized (well, nearly so) the conflict system. It's based on extended combat in HeroQuest (thanks Mike!), with a couple of tweaks. A simple summary:

- conflict is whenever an "opposed" roll would happen
- each side builds a pool from their thresholds (HP, in colors) and any advantages they have
- sides bid on their action, with most daring risk going first
- draw, compare results
attacker wins: defender loses bid from pool
attacker loses: attacker loses bid
tie: nothing happens
- significant wins cause transfer of bid
- repeat as necessary

cool bit: pool changes as tactics change, which means, for example, if you're in a slamfest (social/blue) your pool is blue until/if it degrades to a fistfight (red). If you had lost 5 motes from your pool when it was blue, then the new pool would also be 5 lower.

Another cool bit: advantages change as the conflict does. Size: Enormous would be immensely useful in the physical/red fight, but irrelevant in the blue (depending), and a liability (probably) in the amber.

A final cool, and very important, bit: any weapon can cause any color of damage. A sword, traditionally a physical/body/red weapon, can cause green damage if you hit the eyes, or amber is you hamstring them. Yes, it's still physical damage, but the effect of that damage is ultimately green or amber or whatever.

The problem? how to tell what color the new pool should be when the conflict shifts. Generally, the idea is that the pool represents advantages and health that the attacker is risking with any action. But it also affects the defender, if the attacker's use of their advantages (i.e. attack) succeeds.

So, if the fight starts out as primarily blue/social, with both sides flinging insults, what happens when one side decides to go for the gun (amber), and the other for their tire-iron (red)? What color should tire-iron side's pool be based on, threshold wise? Is it red, because their using their red/physical advantages? Or is it amber, red, green, or some other color, depending on what color of damage the gun-toting side is aiming for?

Maybe I'm stuck in this model, and there's a better way to handle this that I'm missing. My only requirements: smooth, sleek, and simple. Heck, I think even if what I've got is good, it still needs some simplification, but how to do that is escaping me.