How would you change VTES? (Part 3: Combat)

Combat

There are two different official versions of Combat, and from my own experience they are incomplete.  Every time you ask questions about how cards may interact in a phase, the first port of call is the Google-Groups rulings by LSJ.  I think that the raft of information out there should be compiled into either: All Rulings, CRR or The Rules.  Then we don't have to bombard new players with ruling after ruling after ruling explaining how they can't just read the cards to play the game (which is a HUGE issue for new players entering the game).

The CRR vs Rulebook

The CRR and the Rulebook don't agree on how many phases there are in combat.  Rulebook = 3, CRR = 6.  So, I think we could start by redefining a lot of how this works and creating a system that covers at LEAST the 6 steps in the CRR and also provides a way to create/rewrite old cards so that they are better keyworded AND easier to rule on.

A new Sequence for Combat

This is intended to be a KEYWORDED sequence of combat.  It will attempt to collapse the wide variety of 'windows' into the phases AND not drastically alter the function of any existing cards.  By creating this, we can use the existing framework (e.g. At the start of X cards must be played and resolved before During X cards and End of X cards must be played last and resolved before the next step) and have a consistent combat system for new players AND it would allow us to easily know which windows and what sorts of interactions there would be for new cards.  Giving them clear names and using those names explicitly will make the process easier for everyone.

1. Start of Combat Step
   This is where effects like Mariel, Lady Thunder, Elysium: The Arboretum, Purchase Pact and so on would be played/used.
2. Start of Round Step
   This is the step where Weather Control, Sniper Rifle, Carrion Crows and the like would be played.  There would also be no 'range' value at this point (so that we can eliminate the wierdness caused by things like Outside the Hourglass).
3. Determine Range Step
   This step would remain basically the same.  The next change would be to put Immortal Grapple into this step, "Only playable at the end of the Determine Range Step if the range is close", instead of having it in its own window before declaring strikes.  Range has a value only after this step and the default range after this step is close range.
4. Declare Strikes Step
   This step remains basically the same.  I would amend cards such as Claws of the Dead to state "Playable at any time during the Declare Strikes Step" which would make it playable after strikes are chosen but before damage is applied/resolved (which is how it currently plays).
   Note: this is one of the few places in VTES where there can be a 'stack' since the playing of a strike and its resolution are delayed.  This is actually contrary to parts of the CRR which, one in particular, states that "Cards are paid for and their effects resolved immediately" (Note: I do NOT think that this statement also confers that payment of costs occur simultaneously with card effects).
5. Resolving Strikes Step
   This step is where damage would be dealt with and so on. 
   I would also make the change that First Strike actually acts before Strike: Dodge and Strike: Combat Ends and actually become First Strike.  This is a simple enough change, but it does weaken the defensiveness of combat (puts more power towards damage being dealt) and will no doubt be disliked by those players who think that minion vs minion violence is not part of VTES.  S:D and S:CE could also be played with First Strike and would have their 'normal' effects on those strikes (e.g. S:D w/ First Strike will avoid the effects from a First Strike strike but S:D on its own will not).
   Strike: Combat Ends resolves by moving the combat to the End of Round Step.
6. Additional Strikes Step
   Additional Strikes Step gives minions the chance to gain additional strikes and basically repeat Step 3 & 4 for that minion.  If both minions gain additional strikes, they must use them at the first opportunity (i.e. you cannot gain 1 additional strike and your opponent gain 2 additional strikes and wait for your opponent's first additional strike to resolve) and both minions would repeat Step 3 & 4 for each additional strike they have.
7. Press Step
   Minions press to have another round of combat occur.  If another round will occur, then after the End of Round Step the combat will move to the Start of Round Step.
8. End of Round Step
   This step is where cards such as Taste of Vitae would be played.  They could keep the same wording they currently have "Only usable at the end of a round" but could easily be modified to "Only usable in the End of Round Step".  This is the point where Telepathic Tracking would be played (it can be played before or after cards such as Taste of Vitae and when this step ends would push the Combat back to the Start of Round Step.
9. End of Combat StepThis is the last point in combat before the combat ends. This is the window where cards like Psyche! and Coordinate Attacks would be played.