This is from a pdf at scribd called Tolkien-Style Combat for The One Ring - I can’t find it for free, so I’m just going to transpose it onto here.
Tolkien style changes The One Ring’s Rounds of Combat each representing a second or two into Exchanges of Combat each representing minutes or hours - without changing underlying rules.
Ambushed If the enemy is waiting to ambush the company, the Loremaster must determine whether the Company is surprised or not. All heroes roll Awareness. Those that fail have been caught off-guard and cannot fire an Opening Volley before the exchange and any Endurance damage suffered in the first exchange is shifted up by one (-1 becomes -2, -2 becomes -5, etc.)
Opening Volley Those heroes not surprised may make an Opening Volley with ranged weapons (if appropriate). This roll can represent a single shot, or dozens of shots over a minute or two. Results are determined on the Combat Skill Roll Table and successes here are counted towards overcoming the Attribute Rating of the adversary.
Make Battle Roll Before entering combat each hero rolls Battle to determine how well or poorly they use tactics or terrain to prepare for the fighting. Heroes whose players take great care in planning can gain bonus dice for their next Combat Skill Roll.
Heroes roll Battle once per combat, no matter how may Combat Skill Rolls are called for.
Select Combat Stance
The heroes select a combat stance: Forward, Open, Defensive, or Rearward. Once in any exchange, after any player’s turn, a hero may spend 1 Hope to activate Combat Heroics according to their current combat stance. Heroes may choose to change Combat Stance at the start of each exchange before every Combat Skill Roll that they are called to make by the Loremaster. While in that combat stance the bonuses and penalties apply to all relevant rolls.
- Intimidate Foes: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt an Awe or Battle roll. If it succeeds, it grants +1d to you or an ally’s next PROTECTION roll. Each Gandalf or Tengwar extends the bonus to another ally.
- Rally Comrades: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt an Enhearten or Song roll. It grants +1d to you or an ally’s next Combat Skill Roll. Each Gandalf or Tengwar extends the bonus to another ally.
- Protect Companion: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt a Battle roll. On a success, it reduces an ally’s ENDRANCE loss at any point in that exchange thereafter (your choice) by -1d. Each Gandalf or Tengwar extends the bonus by -1d.
- Prepare Shot: Spend 1 Hope to attempt a Scan roll. Grants +1d to your ranged Combat Roll during that exchange. Each Gandalf or Tengwar extends the bonus by +1d.
Combat Order Heroes roll in Combat Stance order. If the adversaries include multiple archers, all heroes suffer an Ill-Favoured PROTECTION test from a ranged attack each exchange until the archers are dispatched. Then Forward>Open>Defensive>Rearward until the exchange ends.
Combat Skill Roll
Each hero makes a Combat Skill Roll (a weapon skill roll). The target number is the hero’s STRENGTH TN. The goal of the Combat Skill Roll is to score enough successes during and exchange to meet or exceed the enemy’s Attribute Rating. When enough heroes succeed and overcome the Attribute Rating of the adversary, the battle is ended.
Unconsciousness and Death If a hero hits 0 ENDURANCE or sustains `a second WOUND in the midst of an exchange they have several choices:
- Fate: At no cost the player may roll a die on the Fate Roll Table
- Treachery: The hero gains Shadow Scars equal to the Shadow Cost of their Misdeed but gain a Favoured PROTECTION test by doing something evil (oath breaking, feigning surrender, abandoning a friend, etc.). If it succeeds they survive with 1 ENDURANCE and 1 WOUND but are no longer in combat
- Last Gasp: The hero expends all HOPE and is permitted a final PROTECTION test. If it fails, they are slain. If it succeeds, they survive, unconscious and blooody and overlooked by the enemy.
Combat Outcomes
During each exchange the balance of combat is determined by the amount of successes scored by the heroes.
Disengagement Before the heroes are to choose their Combat Stance they may attempt any of the following to disengage from combat.
- Retreat: Spend 1 HOPE to attempt a Battle or Explore roll. If you Fail, you remain in combat and your next Combat Skill Roll is Ill-Favoured. If it succeeds, you have exited the battle and lose 3 Endurance or gain 1 Shadow. Allies that succeed in the roll can regroup after combat. The enemy is likely to be nearby and hunting you, but you are permitted a new Battle roll before they find you to possibly gain advantage.
- Hide: If there is sufficient cover or it is dark, spend 1 HOPE and attempt a Stealth roll. If you Fail, you remain in combat and your next Combat Skill Roll is Ill-Favoured. On a success you find a location where you may remain overlooked for a time. Gain 1 Shadow.
- Flee: Spend 1 HOPE. Run blindly from combat in terror and with no plan to meet up later. No roll is needed but you gain 2 Shadow.
Loss of Combat If the heroes are all captured, fled, unconscious, dying or dead, the combat is lost. The following Fate Roll Table outcomes apply:
- Hero Slain: Your hero is instantly slain upon the battlefield. This causes 2 Shadow in those that witness your gruesome death.
- Hero Captured: Either suffer an Ill-Favoured Protection roll and lose 1d Endurance or capitulate and gain 3 Shadow.
- Hero Dead in 1d Hours: Roll on the Wound Severity Table and roll 1d to measure a number of hours. If the mortally wounded hero does not receive Healing within that time, they die.
- Hero Overlooked: you were struck down in combat and appear dead. When you wake from your unconsciousness, you find an empty battlefield littered with whatever bodies were left behind.