Troll: "My goal is to close in on the archer and bash his head in" Archer: "My goal is to shoot the guy up so he can't close, and maybe kill him."
If the troll drives the archer dow to 0 APs, the troll has won - he closed in and whacked the acher, who's bow is effectively useless in close combat.
If the archer drives the troll down to 0 APs, he's won. The troll is stuck like a pin cushion and can't effectively advance or fight back.
The final resolution might take 10 exchanges, or it might tae nly one exchange. If it does only take 1 exchange, that doesn't mean it took 1/10th of the time it just means that draaticaly speaking there was only realy one critical decision point for the two characters. If it took 10 exchanges, then it means ther were 10 critical decision points as the apparent advantage of one character over the other swung back and forth.
Admittedly such situations can be a little more complicated with more than two characters, but even then do bear in mind that the flow of time passing is based on dramatic pacing rather than a strict metronome. My chaacter's active exchange might be resolved in a split second of action, while your character's exchange might be narrated as represent 10 minutes of time passing in the game world.
Simon Hibbs
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