Conflict
The links give more detailed information, and examples.
There are Four Actions in Fate
- Overcome (as you did with the window, and recovering the hope chest)
- Create an Advantage
- Attack
- Defend
Create an Advantage
This requires some player creativity, but allows use of other skills and ideas to indirectly set the character up for a better next action. Consider that in a "Three Musketeers" style game, doing flashy indirect stuff is part of the genre. Have fun with it. Best to read the web link, to get the full story.
How Much Damage?
You can, usually, attack once during a turn. You can, usually, defend as many times as you're attacked in a turn. The amount of damage is simply the difference between the attacker's roll and the defenders, referred to as "Shifts".
Taking Damage
Each character as two Stress tracks: Physical and Mental. These reflect ephemeral damage a character can take. A character starts with two boxes in each. With a Physique of +1 or +2, add one Physical Stress box. With a Physique of +3 or +4, add two boxes. Use the same scale for Will, and Mental stress. Usually, Stress hits are removed after a rest period.
Each character has one Consequences track that is shared between all forms of conflict. Consequences are more lasting damage, these hits do not come off with a short rest period, but need medical care or a long healing event.
If you are familiar with the HERO system, think of Stress as Stun damage, and Consequences as Body.
The Stress Track boxes are numbered 1 and 2, along with 3 and 4 if you have them. Damage is done in a number of Shifts, and you mark off the Stress box for the appropriate number of shifts. You can only mark off one Stress box per hit, and you must mark off a box number equal or higher to the number of Shifts of damage. For example, in the first turn, a character takes a 1 Shift hit from a sword, and marks off Stress box marked 1. In the next turn, the character takes another 1 Shift hit. Since the box marked 1 is filled, the character must check off the box marked 2, even if it's just a 1 shift hit. Even small hits add up. On the other hand, a character with 3 Stress boxes who takes a 3 shift hit in the first turn can still take a 1 Shift hit and a 2 Shift hit.
Consequences boxes are numbered 2 (Mild), 4 (Moderate), and 6 (Severe), representing the number of Shifts they absorb. You can mix Consequences and Stress; a 3 Shift hit can check off the number 2 Consequence box, and the number 1 Stress box. You must take all the shifts of the hit, and you can only fill one Stress box per hit. Each Consequence is an Aspect that impacts play until it is resolved. Probably best not to fight on if you've taken a Severe consequence.
Ending the Fight
Concede Before the dice are rolled, you can Concede, removing your character from the fight. That could be "knocked out but left alone", "pushed into a raging river", or whatever. You might lose some gear, or have other issues, but you're alive and not in shackles. The good news is that you get a Fate Point for conceding. Further, if you have taken any Consequences, you get a Fate point for each. The NPCs can also Concede.
Taken Out This is bad for you; the winning character gets to decide what happens to you. Character Death is an option.