Unless the defending player decides to take different consequences. In which case it could be a Mild 'bruised hip' as he turns to block your strike, or a Moderate 'there goes the skin off my hands' as he dives into gravel to avoid your strike, etc.
See above re: the attacker doesn't actually control the results.
Did you read the part where I said:
"the second only after the results are determined, and thus the combat is narrated."
Did I say that the attacker determined the result? No, only that the second part can't be included in the narrative until after the results are determined.
If my action is to punch you in the face then that is my action. If my action is to kick you in the nuts then that is my action. If my action fails then my action fails. If my action succeeds and do little damage than I might have only struck a glancing blow.
Which makes for a much more narrative combat than:
Player 1: "I use Fist to maneuver and put a tag on him. Roll... It works."
Player 2: "I use Fist to maneuver and put a tag on him. Roll... It works."
Player 3: "I do a Fists attack and, if necessary, tag those two temporary aspects."
Where is the narrative in that?
Of course one of the problems is that the combat system isn't all that realistic. Realistically, if I was standing three feet behind someone (who isn't wearing body armour) and fire a shotgun into his back that person is out of the combat. Especially if I'm doing with surprise. From that distances there's no way the average person can miss the central mass and take the target down.
In DFRPG, assuming that I have Good skill and Weapon 3 Shotgun and that the surprised PC target doesn't get a defensive the most I can inflict is 10 stress - which is a Mild and Serious. Of course if he's a "no consequences" goon then he's down but against a PC I'd still have a fight on my hands.
Richard