anchor.diff:  		. = ..()
   
   /obj/item/toy/prize/attackby(obj/item/I, mob/living/user)
  -	if(istype(I, /obj/item/toy/prize))
  -		if(!in_combat)
  -			mechaBrawl(I, user)
  -		else
  -			to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>[name] is already in combat!</span>")
  +	if(istype(I, /obj/item/toy/prize)) //if you attack a mech with a mech, initiate combat between them 
  +		var/obj/item/toy/prize/P = I
  +		if(checkBattleStart(P, user))
  +			mechaBrawl(P, user)
   	..()
   
   /obj/item/toy/prize/attack(mob/living/carbon/human/target, mob/living/carbon/human/user)
   	for(var/obj/item/toy/prize/I in target.held_items)
  -		if(istype(I, /obj/item/toy/prize))
  -			if(wants_to_battle)
  +		if(istype(I, /obj/item/toy/prize)) //if you attack someone with a mech who's also holding a mech, offer to battle them
  +			var/obj/item/toy/prize/P = I
  +
  +			if(!checkBattleStart(P, user, target))
  +				break
  +
  +			//slap them with the metaphorical white glove
  +			if(wants_to_battle) //prevent spamming someone with offers
   				to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You already are offering battle!</span>")
   				break
  -			if(I.wants_to_battle) //if the target mech wants to battle, initiate the batte from their POV
  -				I.mechaBrawl(src, user, target)
  -				I.wants_to_battle = FALSE
  +			if(P.wants_to_battle) //if the target mech wants to battle, initiate the battle from their POV
  +				P.mechaBrawl(src, user, target) //P = challenger's mech / SRC = defender's mech / user = defender / target = challenger
  +				P.wants_to_battle = FALSE
  +				return
   			else //extend the offer of battle to the other mech
  -				to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You offer battle to [target.name] and [target.p_their()] [I.name]!</span>")
  -				to_chat(target, "<span class='notice'>[user.name] wants to battle with your [I.name]! Attack them with your mech to initiate combat.</span>")
  +				to_chat(user, "<span class='notice'>You offer battle to [target.name] and [target.p_their()] [P.name]!</span>")
  +				to_chat(target, "<span class='notice'>[user.name] wants to battle with [target.p_their()] [name]! Attack them with your [P.name] to initiate combat.</span>")
   				wants_to_battle = TRUE
   				addtimer(CALLBACK(src, .proc/withdrawOffer, user), 60)
  -			break
  +			
   	..()
   
   /**
  
positive.code: 	say("AN EASY WIN. MY POWER INCREASES WITH THIS OFFERING.")
  	add_atom_colour(rgb(255, 115, 115), ADMIN_COLOUR_PRIORITY)
  	max_combat_health = round(max_combat_health*1.5)
  	wins++
  	return BRUTELOSS
  
  
negative.code: 															"<span class='danger'> [attacker.name]'s attack deflects off of [name]. </span>", \
  															"<span class='hear'> You hear hard plastic bouncing off hard plastic.</span>", COMBAT_MESSAGE_RANGE)
  
  				if(6 to 8) //defender wins
  					if(special_attack_cooldown == 0 && combat_health <= round(max_combat_health/3)) //if health is less than 1/3 and special off CD, use it
  						special_attack_charged = TRUE
  						referee.visible_message("<span class='danger'> [name] begins charging his special attack!! </span>", \
  												"<span class='danger'> You begin charging [name]'s special attack! </span>")
  					else //just attack 
  						SpinAnimation(5, 0)
  						playsound(src, 'sound/mecha/mechstep.ogg', 30, TRUE)
  						attacker.combat_health--
  						referee.visible_message("<span class='danger'> [name] smashes [attacker.name]! </span>", \
  												"<span class='danger'> You smash [name] into [attacker.name]! </span>", \
  