Visual Language for an "action clock"

One of the mechanics in my game is an action clock that saves up ticks (or what are essentially action points). These are manipulated every time a player takes their action(s) and have a scale from 0-12 represented on a rondel-like counter and slowly build up 1 tick at a time similar to atb systems in old final fantasy games.

Which of the following sounds most intuitive as a player:

• The rondel is a clock face (with 12 pointing north) where you build up points by going clockwise (towards 10, 11, 12) and spending them moves your clock counter-clockwise (counting up how many points you have available, but making you do subtraction when spending action points)

• The rondel is a clock face (with 12 pointing north) where you build up points by going COUNTNER clockwise (towards 2, 1, 0) and spending them moves your clock clockwise (counting down the number of ticks you have to wait to have full action points available, and allowing you to count up when spending action points)

• Re theme the "Action Clock" as a fuel gauge style counter where 0 is on the lower left and 12 is on the lower right (6 would be poointing north). Again you build up points going right and spending point moves your pointer left. Instead of being called ticks players would build up stamina or energy or something.