I dug up a log from like 2000 just to illustrate my point.
Code:
A dour male human starts to concentrate.
You trip a dour male human and he goes down!
A dour male human is momentarily stunned as he hits the ground hard.
A silvery-haired male human appears in the room.
A pale male half-elf appears in the room.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
You chop at a dour male human's head, leaving a big scar across his face!
You slash a dour male human's mouth, knocking out a few of his teeth!
You chop at a dour male human's chest, causing a deep gash.
A dour male human dodges a spirit steed's attack.
Crosis slices at a dour male human's chest, DISEMBOWELING him!
Crosis strikes suddenly, slicing at a dour male human's chest! Some GUTS fall!
A spirit steed scratches a dour male human.
A dour male human dodges a spirit steed's attack.
Drathios pierces at a dour male human's head. a dour male human falls with a blank look on his face!
A dour male human is DEAD!!
You hear a dour male human's death cry.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
A statuesque male human gets a gigantic magari yari from an imperial crimson paenula.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
Drathios dodges a pale male half-elf's attack.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
A pale male half-elf fades into existence.
A pale male half-elf's deadly wrath lightly hits Drathios's chest.
Drathios dodges a silvery-haired male human's attack.
A silvery-haired male human fades into existence.
A silvery-haired male human's magic power hits Drathios's chest.
A silvery-haired male human's magic power lightly hits Drathios's head.
A silvery-haired male human's magic power starts Drathios's chest on fire.
A silvery-haired male human's magic power starts to melt Drathios's chest.
A silvery-haired male human misses Drathios.
A silvery-haired male human's magic power starts to melt Drathios's chest.
A pale male half-elf dodges Drathios's attack.
A pale male half-elf parries a spirit steed's bare fist!
A pale male half-elf's deadly wrath hits a spirit steed's right arm.
Crosis slices at a pale male half-elf's head, causing a small but painful wound.
Crosis slices a pale male half-elf's chest, cutting a small but painful, wound.
Crosis slices at a pale male half-elf's chest, causing a deep gash.
Crosis slices a pale male half-elf's chest, causing a gaping wound!
A pale male half-elf dodges a spirit steed's attack.
You chop at a pale male half-elf's head, leaving a big scar across his face!
A pale male half-elf dodges your attack.
A pale male half-elf parries your attack.
You chop a pale male half-elf's mouth, knocking out a few of his teeth!
A spirit steed misses a pale male half-elf.
You chop a pale male half-elf's mouth, knocking out a few of his teeth!
You slash a pale male half-elf's windpipe, resulting in a shower of BLOOD!
A pale male half-elf dodges your attack.
Overall, a pale male half-elf looks pretty hurt.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
A statuesque male human wields a gigantic magari yari in his hand.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
A silvery-haired male human's mocking tongue drives you to attack him!
Dark tendrils of energy crawl up isaias's lance!
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
A silvery-haired male human dishonorably kicks, sending dirt flying into your eyes. YOU CAN'T SEE!
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
His feet aren't on the ground.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
A pale male half-elf flies south.
<<<<shortly there-after>>>>>
A statuesque male human yells 'Guards! A ntscular male human is trying to murder me!'
Drathios's charge misses a statuesque male human.
Tenrei starts to concentrate.
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
Drathios pierces at a statuesque male human's chest, causing a gaping wound!
A spirit steed scratches a statuesque male human.
Crosis strikes suddenly, slicing at a statuesque male human's chest! Some GUTS fall!
Crosis slices a statuesque male human's head, tearing open a bleeding wound!
Crosis slices a statuesque male human's jaw, breaking it with a loud *SNAP*
A statuesque male human sprints south.
A statuesque male human has fled!
{100%} { 74%} {100%} 5 silver, 6 copper
......
A statuesque male human yells 'Gubrds! A muscular male human is trying to mureer me!'
Drathios's charge does UNSPEAKABLE THINGS to a statuesque male human!
A statuesque male human is DEAD!!
You hear a statuesque male human's death cry.
That was Galus and Ulrich, at the time they were both master+ Galus may have been GM, I can't remember, and Isaias a GM mercenary. Our group of four was a barbarian, a priest, and two swashbucklers, so most of those hits are with one handed weapons as well. Combat under the old code usually had a clear cut winner decided after three rounds maximum. What we have now is so much longer than the way it used to be.