diff --git a/combat_ui.cpp b/combat_ui.cpp
index d0a7c0a..031afd3 100644
--- a/combat_ui.cpp
+++ b/combat_ui.cpp
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
 #include "color.hpp"
 
 namespace gui {
+  using namespace guecs;
+
   CombatUI::CombatUI(GameLevel level) :
       $level(level)
   {
     $gui.position(RAY_VIEW_X, RAY_VIEW_HEIGHT, RAY_VIEW_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT - RAY_VIEW_HEIGHT);
     $gui.layout(
         "[*%(100,150)button_attack1 | *%(100,150)button_attack2 | *%(100,150)button_attack3 | *%(100,150)button_heal]"
-        "[ >.%(100,50)label_hp | *%.(100,50)bar_hp | _ ]");
+        "[ >.%(100,50)label_hp | *%.(190,50)bar_hp | _ ]");
   }
 
   void CombatUI::render(TexturePack& textures) {
@@ -21,12 +23,12 @@ namespace gui {
         world.set<lel::Cell>(button, cell);
         world.set<Sprite>(button, {"trash_button"});
         world.set<Clickable>(button, {100});
-        world.set<Textual>(button, {name});
+        world.set<Textual>(button, {"Button"});
       } else if(name.starts_with("bar_")) {
-        auto meter = $gui.entity(name);
-        world.set<lel::Cell>(meter, cell);
-        world.set<Rectangle>(meter, {});
-        world.set<Meter>(meter, {});
+        $meter = $gui.entity(name);
+        world.set<lel::Cell>($meter, cell);
+        world.set<Rectangle>($meter, {});
+        world.set<Meter>($meter, {});
       } else {
         // ignored, it's just space
         $gui.entity(name);
@@ -39,4 +41,10 @@ namespace gui {
   void CombatUI::draw(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
     $gui.render(window);
   }
+
+  void CombatUI::set_damage(float percent) {
+    fmt::println("combat ui sets damage: {}", percent);
+    auto& meter = $gui.world().get<Meter>($meter);
+    meter.percent = percent;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/combat_ui.hpp b/combat_ui.hpp
index 7fe3331..1380e6b 100644
--- a/combat_ui.hpp
+++ b/combat_ui.hpp
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
 #include "levelmanager.hpp"
 #include <SFML/Graphics/RenderWindow.hpp>
 #include <SFML/Graphics/Font.hpp>
-#include "ecs_gui.hpp"
+#include "guecs.hpp"
 
 namespace gui {
   class CombatUI {
     public:
-      GUECS $gui;
+      guecs::UI $gui;
+      DinkyECS::Entity $meter;
       GameLevel $level;
 
       CombatUI(GameLevel level);
@@ -17,5 +18,6 @@ namespace gui {
       void draw(sf::RenderWindow& window);
       void update_level(GameLevel &level) { $level = level; }
       void click(int x, int y);
+      void set_damage(float percent);
   };
 }
diff --git a/ecs_gui.cpp b/ecs_gui.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 84b874f..0000000
--- a/ecs_gui.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-#include "ecs_gui.hpp"
-#include "constants.hpp"
-
-GUECS::GUECS() {
-  $font = make_shared<sf::Font>(FONT_FILE_NAME);
-}
-
-void GUECS::position(int x, int y, int width, int height) {
-  $parser.position(x, y, width, height);
-}
-
-void GUECS::layout(std::string grid) {
-  $grid = grid;
-  $parser.parse($grid);
-}
-
-DinkyECS::Entity GUECS::entity(std::string name) {
-  auto entity = $world.entity();
-  $world.set<CellName>(entity, {name});
-  return entity;
-}
-
-void GUECS::init(TexturePack& textures) {
-  $world.query<lel::Cell, Rectangle>([](auto, auto& cell, auto& rect) {
-    rect.init(cell);
-  });
-
-  $world.query<lel::Cell, Textual>([this](auto, auto& cell, auto& text) {
-    text.init(cell, $font);
-  });
-
-  $world.query<lel::Cell, Sprite>([&](auto, auto &cell, auto &sprite) {
-      auto sprite_texture = textures.get(sprite.name);
-      sprite.texture = sprite_texture.texture;
-      sprite.sprite = make_shared<sf::Sprite>(*sprite.texture);
-      sprite.sprite->setPosition({float(cell.x + 5), float(cell.y + 5)});
-      auto size = sprite.texture->getSize();
-      sprite.sprite->setScale({float(cell.w - 10) / size.x, float(cell.h - 10) / size.y});
-  });
-}
-
-void GUECS::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
-  $world.query<lel::Cell, Meter>([&](auto ent, auto& cell, const auto &meter) {
-      if($world.has<Rectangle>(ent)) {
-        float level = meter.percent * float(cell.w);
-        auto& target = $world.get<Rectangle>(ent);
-        // ZED: this 6 is a border width, make it a thing
-        target.shape->setSize({std::max(level, 0.0f), float(cell.h - 6)});
-      }
-  });
-
-  $world.query<Rectangle>([&](auto, auto& rect) {
-      window.draw(*rect.shape);
-  });
-
-  $world.query<Sprite>([&](auto, auto& sprite) {
-      window.draw(*sprite.sprite);
-  });
-
-  $world.query<Textual>([&](auto, auto& text) {
-      window.draw(*text.text);
-  });
-}
-
-void GUECS::mouse(sf::RenderWindow &window) {
-  if(sf::Mouse::isButtonPressed(sf::Mouse::Button::Left)) {
-    sf::Vector2f pos = window.mapPixelToCoords(sf::Mouse::getPosition(window));
-    $world.query<lel::Cell, Clickable>([&](auto ent, auto& cell, auto &clicked) {
-      if((pos.x >= cell.x && pos.x <= cell.x + cell.w) &&
-          (pos.y >= cell.y && pos.y <= cell.y + cell.h))
-      {
-        auto& cn = $world.get<CellName>(ent);
-        fmt::println("clicked on entity {} with name {} and event {}",
-            ent, cn.name, clicked.event);
-      }
-    });
-  }
-}
diff --git a/ecs_gui.hpp b/ecs_gui.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c724f6..0000000
--- a/ecs_gui.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,84 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-#include "color.hpp"
-#include "dinkyecs.hpp"
-#include "lel.hpp"
-#include <string>
-#include <memory>
-#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
-#include "texture.hpp"
-
-using std::shared_ptr, std::make_shared;
-
-struct Textual {
-  std::string label;
-  shared_ptr<sf::Font> font = nullptr;
-  shared_ptr<sf::Text> text = nullptr;
-
-  void init(lel::Cell &cell, shared_ptr<sf::Font> font_ptr) {
-    font = font_ptr;
-    text = make_shared<sf::Text>(*font, label);
-
-    auto bounds = text->getLocalBounds();
-    auto text_cell = lel::center(bounds.size.x, bounds.size.y, cell);
-    // this stupid / 2 is because SFML renders from baseline rather than from the claimed bounding box
-    text->setPosition({float(text_cell.x), float(text_cell.y) - text_cell.h / 2});
-  }
-};
-
-struct Clickable {
-  int event = 0;
-};
-
-struct Sprite {
-  std::string name;
-  std::shared_ptr<sf::Sprite> sprite = nullptr;
-  std::shared_ptr<sf::Texture> texture = nullptr;
-};
-
-struct Rectangle {
-  shared_ptr<sf::RectangleShape> shape = nullptr;
-
-  void init(lel::Cell& cell) {
-    sf::Vector2f size{(float)cell.w, (float)cell.h};
-    if(shape == nullptr) shape = make_shared<sf::RectangleShape>(size);
-    shape->setPosition({float(cell.x + 3), float(cell.y + 3)});
-    shape->setSize({float(cell.w - 6), float(cell.h - 6)});
-    shape->setFillColor(ColorValue::DARK_MID);
-    shape->setOutlineColor(ColorValue::MID);
-    shape->setOutlineThickness(1);
-  }
-};
-
-struct Meter {
-  float percent = 100.0;
-};
-
-struct CellName {
-  std::string name;
-};
-
-class GUECS {
-  public:
-  DinkyECS::World $world;
-  shared_ptr<sf::Font> $font = nullptr;
-  lel::Parser $parser;
-  std::string $grid = "";
-
-  GUECS();
-
-  void position(int x, int y, int width, int height);
-  void layout(std::string grid);
-  DinkyECS::Entity entity(std::string name);
-
-  inline lel::CellMap& cells() {
-    return $parser.cells;
-  }
-
-  inline DinkyECS::World& world() {
-    return $world;
-  }
-
-  void init(TexturePack& textures);
-  void render(sf::RenderWindow& window);
-  void mouse(sf::RenderWindow &window);
-};
diff --git a/guecs.cpp b/guecs.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09913ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/guecs.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+#include "guecs.hpp"
+#include "constants.hpp"
+
+namespace guecs {
+  UI::UI() {
+    $font = make_shared<sf::Font>(FONT_FILE_NAME);
+  }
+
+  void UI::position(int x, int y, int width, int height) {
+    $parser.position(x, y, width, height);
+  }
+
+  void UI::layout(std::string grid) {
+    $grid = grid;
+    $parser.parse($grid);
+  }
+
+  DinkyECS::Entity UI::entity(std::string name) {
+    auto entity = $world.entity();
+    $world.set<CellName>(entity, {name});
+    return entity;
+  }
+
+  void UI::init(TexturePack& textures) {
+    $world.query<lel::Cell, Rectangle>([](auto, auto& cell, auto& rect) {
+      rect.init(cell);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<Rectangle, Meter>([](auto, auto& bg, auto &) {
+        bg.shape->setFillColor(ColorValue::BLACK);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<lel::Cell, Meter>([](auto, auto &cell, auto& meter) {
+        meter.init(cell);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<lel::Cell, Textual>([this](auto, auto& cell, auto& text) {
+      text.init(cell, $font);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<lel::Cell, Sprite>([&](auto, auto &cell, auto &sprite) {
+        auto sprite_texture = textures.get(sprite.name);
+        sprite.texture = sprite_texture.texture;
+        sprite.sprite = make_shared<sf::Sprite>(*sprite.texture);
+        sprite.sprite->setPosition({float(cell.x + 5), float(cell.y + 5)});
+        auto size = sprite.texture->getSize();
+        sprite.sprite->setScale({float(cell.w - 10) / size.x, float(cell.h - 10) / size.y});
+    });
+  }
+
+  void UI::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
+    $world.query<Rectangle>([&](auto, auto& rect) {
+        window.draw(*rect.shape);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<lel::Cell, Meter>([&](auto, auto& cell, const auto &meter) {
+        float level = std::clamp(meter.percent, 0.0f, 1.0f) * float(cell.w);
+        // ZED: this 6 is a border width, make it a thing
+        meter.bar.shape->setSize({std::max(level, 0.0f), float(cell.h - 6)});
+        window.draw(*meter.bar.shape);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<Sprite>([&](auto, auto& sprite) {
+        window.draw(*sprite.sprite);
+    });
+
+    $world.query<Textual>([&](auto, auto& text) {
+        window.draw(*text.text);
+    });
+  }
+
+  void UI::mouse(sf::RenderWindow &window) {
+    if(sf::Mouse::isButtonPressed(sf::Mouse::Button::Left)) {
+      sf::Vector2f pos = window.mapPixelToCoords(sf::Mouse::getPosition(window));
+      $world.query<lel::Cell, Clickable>([&](auto ent, auto& cell, auto &clicked) {
+        if((pos.x >= cell.x && pos.x <= cell.x + cell.w) &&
+            (pos.y >= cell.y && pos.y <= cell.y + cell.h))
+        {
+          auto& cn = $world.get<CellName>(ent);
+          fmt::println("clicked on entity {} with name {} and event {}",
+              ent, cn.name, clicked.event);
+        }
+      });
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/guecs.hpp b/guecs.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc1b1c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/guecs.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "color.hpp"
+#include "dinkyecs.hpp"
+#include "lel.hpp"
+#include <string>
+#include <memory>
+#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
+#include "texture.hpp"
+
+namespace guecs {
+  using std::shared_ptr, std::make_shared;
+
+  struct Textual {
+    std::string label;
+    shared_ptr<sf::Font> font = nullptr;
+    shared_ptr<sf::Text> text = nullptr;
+
+    void init(lel::Cell &cell, shared_ptr<sf::Font> font_ptr) {
+      font = font_ptr;
+      text = make_shared<sf::Text>(*font, label);
+
+      auto bounds = text->getLocalBounds();
+      auto text_cell = lel::center(bounds.size.x, bounds.size.y, cell);
+      // this stupid / 2 is because SFML renders from baseline rather than from the claimed bounding box
+      text->setPosition({float(text_cell.x), float(text_cell.y) - text_cell.h / 2});
+    }
+  };
+
+  struct Clickable {
+    int event = 0;
+  };
+
+  struct Sprite {
+    std::string name;
+    std::shared_ptr<sf::Sprite> sprite = nullptr;
+    std::shared_ptr<sf::Texture> texture = nullptr;
+  };
+
+  struct Rectangle {
+    shared_ptr<sf::RectangleShape> shape = nullptr;
+
+    void init(lel::Cell& cell) {
+      sf::Vector2f size{(float)cell.w, (float)cell.h};
+      if(shape == nullptr) shape = make_shared<sf::RectangleShape>(size);
+      shape->setPosition({float(cell.x + 3), float(cell.y + 3)});
+      shape->setSize({float(cell.w - 6), float(cell.h - 6)});
+      shape->setFillColor(ColorValue::DARK_MID);
+      shape->setOutlineColor(ColorValue::MID);
+      shape->setOutlineThickness(1);
+    }
+  };
+
+  struct Meter {
+    float percent = 1.0f;
+    Rectangle bar;
+
+    void init(lel::Cell& cell) {
+      bar.init(cell);
+    }
+  };
+
+  struct CellName {
+    std::string name;
+  };
+
+  class UI {
+    public:
+      DinkyECS::World $world;
+      shared_ptr<sf::Font> $font = nullptr;
+      lel::Parser $parser;
+      std::string $grid = "";
+
+      UI();
+
+      void position(int x, int y, int width, int height);
+      void layout(std::string grid);
+      DinkyECS::Entity entity(std::string name);
+
+      inline lel::CellMap& cells() {
+        return $parser.cells;
+      }
+
+      inline DinkyECS::World& world() {
+        return $world;
+      }
+
+      void init(TexturePack& textures);
+      void render(sf::RenderWindow& window);
+      void mouse(sf::RenderWindow &window);
+  };
+}
diff --git a/gui.cpp b/gui.cpp
index cc06e97..7ce55bf 100644
--- a/gui.cpp
+++ b/gui.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ namespace gui {
         state(State::MAPPING);
         break;
       case ATTACK:
-        fmt::println("ATTACK IGNORED");
+        state(State::ATTACKING);
         break;
       case START_COMBAT:
         state(State::IN_COMBAT);
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ namespace gui {
             auto player = $level.world->get_the<Player>();
             auto& player_combat = $level.world->get<Combat>(player.entity);
             player_combat.hp = player_combat.max_hp;
+            $combat_view.set_damage(float(player_combat.hp) / float(player_combat.max_hp));
            } break;
           default:
             break; // ignored
@@ -398,6 +399,9 @@ namespace gui {
             if(damage.enemy_did > 0) {
               $status_view.log(fmt::format("Enemy HIT YOU for {} damage!", damage.enemy_did));
               $status_view.log(fmt::format("-- Enemy has {} HP left.", enemy_combat.hp));
+              auto player = world.get_the<Player>();
+              auto player_combat = world.get<Combat>(player.entity);
+              $combat_view.set_damage(float(player_combat.hp) / float(player_combat.max_hp));
             } else {
               $status_view.log("Enemy MISSED YOU.");
             }
@@ -407,8 +411,6 @@ namespace gui {
             } else {
               $status_view.log("You MISSED the enemy.");
             }
-
-            // this is where we tell the combat ui about the damage
           }
           break;
         case eGUI::COMBAT_START:
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index f95aaca..5ab9bf8 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ sources = [
   'config.cpp',
   'dbc.cpp',
   'devices.cpp',
-  'ecs_gui.cpp',
+  'guecs.cpp',
   'gui.cpp',
   'inventory.cpp',
   'lel.cpp',
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ executable('runtests', sources + [
   'tests/base.cpp',
   'tests/dbc.cpp',
   'tests/dinkyecs.cpp',
-  'tests/ecs_gui.cpp',
+  'tests/guecs.cpp',
   'tests/fsm.cpp',
   'tests/inventory.cpp',
   'tests/lel.cpp',
diff --git a/tests/ecs_gui.cpp b/tests/guecs.cpp
similarity index 92%
rename from tests/ecs_gui.cpp
rename to tests/guecs.cpp
index 720c04b..c01c135 100644
--- a/tests/ecs_gui.cpp
+++ b/tests/guecs.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 #include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
 #include <fmt/core.h>
 #include "constants.hpp"
-#include "ecs_gui.hpp"
+#include "guecs.hpp"
 #include "texture.hpp"
 
+using namespace guecs;
 
 TEST_CASE("prototype one gui", "[ecs-gui]") {
-  GUECS gui;
+  guecs::UI gui;
+
   TexturePack textures;
   textures.load_sprites();