In close combat both players' models fight. How many blows are struck and who strikes first is discussed below. The rules are written assuming that there is only a single close combat occurring in the turn — of course there may be several separate assaults being fought simultaneously in different parts of the battlefield. If this is the case the player whose turn it is can choose what order to fight the combats in.
Who Can Fight?
Close combat is a swirling mêlée of fighters leaping forward, spinning, hacking and slashing at one another. As well as fighting hand-to-hand, warriors will be firing at point blank range at any target that presents itself.
Models in base to base contact with the enemy fight with their full number of attacks and count the benefits of any special close combat attack forms they have. All models that are within 2" of a friendly model which is engaged in combat will take part in the fighting as well, not just those in base contact. They only get a single attack though regardless of the number of attacks on their profile and get no benefit from any special close combat attack forms they have.
Who Strikes First
Troops who are defending cover have a massive advantage in an assault. They can fire from their hiding place at their approaching enemies and then smite them down as they struggle to get to grips with their hidden foe. It's all in the reflexes when it comes to combat in the open: slow lumbering opponents can be quickly dispatched by a faster and more agile foe. Unfortunately, lumbering opponents such as Orks are tough enough to be able to withstand a vicious pummelling and still come back for more.
In close combat models defending in or behind cover strike first. Resolve all their attacks and remove any casualties before moving on to the rest of the models. Fighting for the remainder is resolved according to the Initiative value of the models. Models with the highest Initiative attack first, then the next highest and so on.
Work your way down the Initiative scores in each separate combat until everyone has fought (assuming they haven't already been killed by a model in cover or with a higher Initiative). If both sides have models with the same Initiative, attacks are made simultaneously.
Cover
Models in or behind cover normally fight in close combat with Initiative 10. This represents the advantage of cover — their attacks include not only close fighting but also shots against the enemy as they charge in. Apart from this cover does not affect hits or anything else in an assault. After the first round of close combat fighting is assumed to have swept into the cover so it gives no further advantage to models in it. Note that cover advantage applies only to models in cover that are being charged. Some units count as being in cover all the time because of psychic abilities or weird force fields — these are of no benefit if the unit charges.
Sometimes a unit will only count as being in cover if it is assaulted from a specific direction from which the cover has an effect. For example a Space Marine squad behind some oil drums is in cover if assaulted over the oil drums but not if assaulted from the rear. If a direct line from any of the assaulting models to the closest enemy model, before assaulting troops are moved, passes through the cover then it is assumed to be enough of an obstruction to count.
Designers note: The cover rules are intended to make it hard to dislodge defending units without a concerted effort or plenty of armour. Grenades can help to mitigate this as they can force the enemy under cover during the vulnerable charge. Units with special abilities which confer 'continuous cover' do not benefit from its advantages when charging as they have to move up to close quarters and their concealment is less effective.