I am working on a CCG based on the PC game Sacrifice (a fantasy strategy game).

My goal is to make the game to be playable as a game of 1vs1, 2vs2, 1vs1vs1, and
1vs1vs1vs1.
This is definitely not going to be a short game (I am aiming for about 20 min pe
r player).
I am trying to come up with gameplay mechanics for simultaneous battles (meaning
, all the players can take part of the same combat and all the damage is dealt a
t the same time).
My biggest concern is that the game will be too complicated, so I am trying to s
implify the game in its other aspects.
So far, I have come up with these rules for combat:
1. Starting with the first* player, each player is given an option to initiate a
battle
1.1 if all the players choose not to initiate a battle, the combat phase
will end.
1.2 if a player chooses to initiate a battle, he will have to choose at
least 1 of his units to attack an enemy unit. From now on, this player will be c
alled the initiator.
2. After the initiator of the battle has chosen which of his units will attack a
nd their targets, all of that player's attacking units will be turned sideways**
.
3. Then, each player, starting with the player after the initiator, is given an
option to engage in the battle.
3.1 If all the other*** players choose not to engage with additional uni
ts in the battle, the battle phase will end and all the attacks will be resolved
.
3.1.1 When the battle is over, all the surviving units will be t
urned back to normal****.
3.1.2 An option to continue the combat phase with another battle
(line 1.)
3.2 If a player chooses to engage with additional units, all of that pla
yer's attacking units will be turned sideways**.
* Which player will be "first player" in each combat is yet to be decide
** When a card of unit is turned sideways (tapped/exhausted), it is to visualize
that the unit is currently active in battle and will deal damage to the unit he
is currently attacking.
*** A player will not be able to engage with more units if all the other players
choose not to engage with additional units
**** When a card of a unit is not turned sideways (untapped/ready), it is to vis
ualize that the unit is currently not doing anything and will not deal any damag
e in battle.

Lets look at an example for such a battle with 2 players.

Only for the purpose of this example, I will use creatures from MTG as units for
my game.
Player1 has 2 units: Redwood Treefolk (3/6) and Panther Warriors (6/3)
Player2 has 3 units: Armored Cancrix (2/5), Elvish Warrior (2/3) and Trained Arm
odon (3/3)
Player1 chooses to initiate the battle with his Redwood Treefolk (3/6) attacking
Player2's Trained Armodon (3/3).
Player2 chooses to engage the battle with his Trained Armodon (3/3) attacking Pl
ayer1's Panther Warriors (6/3).
Player1 chooses to engage with his Panther Warriors (6/3) attacking Player2's Ar
mored Cancrix (2/5).
Player2 chooses not to engage with his other units (he can't kill anything).
All the damage is dealt at the same time:
- Panther Warriors (6/3), Armored Cancrix (2/5) and the Trained Armodon (3/3) di
e.
- Redwood Treefolk (3/6) is untapped/readied
- All damage is removed at the end of the battle
Player1 chooses to initiate the battle with his Redwood Treefolk (3/6) attacking
Player2's Elvish Warrior (2/3).
Player2 chooses not to engage with his units (he can't kill anything).
- Elvish Warrior (2/3) dies.
- Redwood Treefolk (3/6) is untapped/readied
- All damage is removed at the end of the battle
Player1 chooses not to initiate a battle
Player2 chooses not to initiate a battle.
The combat phase is over.
What is your opinion?
Do you have a better idea for simultaneous battles?
Do you think you have a way to simplify the combat?