Just some quick thoughts:

1. "On Combat":

Combat for me typically ends in about three ways, but almost always in about 6-7 rounds. One, I get slaughtered, horribly fast. Two, I get beat up quick, run away to heal and being the noble one that I am run back in to die, horribly fast. Or three, (which believe it or not is more often the case) I beat the hell out of someone and they escape within an inch of their life.

2. "On Death":

I'm kind of a psuedo newbie as I'v played a number of times over the years but never make it past rank 20 or so. Usually do to RL issues. Hopefully this character will stand the test of time(looks good so far). But the point I'm getting at is death and fighting are far less of a downer these days. I'm a paladin so these happen a lot, yet I push on. Not once in my 7 or so deaths have I been full-looted, as I had in the past. So just a kudos to all you evils out there for controling yourselves.

3. "On crappiness":

Not sure if its because im still of the lower ranks, but combat for me is as I said usually quick. The point here is what I'v seen on pk stats and stuff. I'm forced to take solace in my victories over people when they flee,(having attacked me first, as I rarely do so) and the world may never know that. Only that I'v died nearly 8 times and killed none. Though that's pretty much my fault for still being new and not knowing the areas well enough to really give chase... Oh, and the crappy keyboard. Crappiness indeed heh.

4. "On fun":

Each and every time I come back to CF, (thats a lot of times btw), there are more and more changes, tweaks, additions. That's pretty awesome and why I'll take it over other muds and silly stagnant MMORPG's 10 times out of 10. And of course RP is enforced here, and one of the few places I'v seen it actually work.

5. "On Endings":

THE END

nt

If you aren't doing the attacking, you won't be killing many people.

If I start a fight, I should know something you don't. I'm prepped. I've got a weapon to hit your vuln. You are hurt and I'm not. You are tanking a mob and I'm not. SOMETHING.

If I attack you, and I can't get away, I didn't know something about you I should have.

Being the aggressor and dying means you have messed up. 99% of kills in CF go to the aggressor, not the defender.

So...

If you want to seal some kills rather than just "win the fight", do some attacking :)

The reason Marcus and Jinroh and Enbuergo and Elhe consistantly rack up the numbers they do is less about gear and preps and ubergame knowledge and more about being aggressive consistantly. Enough situations where 1) You know you can probably get away, and 2) The other guy doesn't see you coming, will net PKs.