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Sometimes a tie isn't good enough and success or failure, no matter how marginal, must be determined from an opposed action test.  Such is the case with initiative, when a fraction of a second can determine life or death. 

4.2.1 mod - Opposing Action Tests

If the results of an opposed action test are tied, compare subsequent dice.  The opponent's compare their second highest die.  The higher roll indicates a very marginal victory, MoS 0.  If the second dice are also tied, compare the third and so on until a winner is determined.  The first opponent to run out of dice to compare fails marginally, MoF 0.  If all the dice are tied, the result is truly tied and no advantage is gained; neither opponent makes headway over the other, they act in an equal manner or at the same time, whatever the case.

To speed up game play, it is sometimes necessary for Game Masters (GMs) to make skill checks for characters of varying skill levels.  This is especially true with initiative.  Thanks to Walter Chie for giving me the following GM trick.

4.3.2 add - Opponents with Multiple Skill Levels

To make a multiple level skill check, roll as many dice of different color as the highest skill level involved.  Each color must be designated as a certain level before the roll (e.g. green for novice, blue for professional, and black for veteran).  The result for each level is determined my the number on the appropriate die plus the dice for the lower levels.

EXAMPLE:  The GM rolls initiative for the NPC's his players are about to fight.   The NPC's consist of one novice, one professional, and one veteran.  The GM picks up three dice, corresponding to the veteran with the highest skill level, of different colors.  The dice are green, blue, and black and the GM assigns each to a skill level as above.  When the GM rolls, the green die shows a 1, the blue die a 5, and the black die a 4, indicating the novice has fumbled, while the professional and the veteran share a result of 5.