Some additional thoughts:
4) The Thug deck could be further developed to allow for Attack enhancments, Press Attack cards or return strikes. Basically the Thug would draw two cards in order, the first being the attack or response, the second determining whether the attack was enhanced, the attack pressed or responded to. For example, Porthos lunges at a Thug. The Thug draws a card representing his parry attempt; if successful he draws again to check if he gets a strike back. As a picture card counts as a block or parry, the strike back would be any A, 2 or 3 of the same suit (or colour?)
Similarly, if attacking the Thug would draw a card for his attack, if it is an A, 2 or 3 then draw a second card for a possible enhancement; this being indicated by a picture card of the same suit (or colour?) - the specific card type indicating the type of enhancement (based on those in the regular game.) If the attack was blocked by the player, the Thug could continue the attack by successfully drawing another A, 2 or 3.
Under this system there would be 12 attack cards, 28 misses, 12 blocks and 2 dirty tricks. Miss cards could be discarded or multiple decks combined to alter these ratios.