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The WAIT_STATE is what ROM uses, and it is a balance system - you enter a combat command, that command is executed, and you are then unable to enter another command for a period of time. It's rather nasty because it prevents all further input, creating a lag-like effect - and as it's bound to the connection rather than the character, you can clear it by logging on with another session. The automated combat tends to determine the majority of damage caused, but as Valg points out it would be a simple matter to disable it and provide a few basic attack commands instead; the balance system is already there (and has been there since the earliest version of Diku, which was released the same year Avalon was opened), it's just being overshadowed by the additional automated system.
I did some searching, and came up with an old review for it which briefly mentions the combat:
There's also some sort of PBEM which gives a bit more detailed info - here's the duelling table:
And here's an example of duelling orders:
So in order to perform a lunge routine, you'd do the actions Rest-Lunge-Rest. It rather reminds me of Richard Bartle's game, where - for example - you'd do the actions Wave-Fingers-Palm in order to cast a 'cause light wounds' spell (in fact I notice that Bartle even mentions having played En Garde! at the time).
However both of the above systems result in the attacks being performed at the end of the sequence, while the balance approach results in them being performed at the beginning. I can see the latter being appropriate for spell and special power cooldowns (much like it is in Warcraft III), but I find the former a far better solution for combat moves.
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