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Untill recently, I had assumed that the only models that can recieve hits under normal circumstances are the rank in base contact with the attacking unit (assuming base contact or adjacent). The rulebook seemed clear in this though as I look through it again I can't rule out the possibility that I am mistaken.

The reason I am faltering is I was reading a discussion about the value of initiative vs greatweapons etc etc and somebody used as an example a situation where a unit lost x amount of models before they could attack, his point was clear in that the unit who lost the models has lost a certain number of attacks due to reducing the unit size to smaller than the number of models who would have been able to attack. However, in the particular example given the models lost exceeded the size of one of the unit's ranks. As I understood it this is an impossible situation.

I understand that if a unit contains models with different initiative scores then casualties will fill the gaps before the lower init models attack (eg mounted units) however I was not aware that it was possible for CC attacks to overflow into the unit beyond the front rank.

This is especially relevant to me as I am playing with warriors of khorne, and regularly score more wounds than the enemy has units that can die, or so I thought.

The amount of wounds you inflict in CC is equal to the number of saves your opponent must make. Any failed save = a model dead. Wounds do spill over onto the ranks behind the first.

There are a number of variables under different circumstances (characters in units, command model exceptions), but the basic premise is wound spill over

This is.... excellent news (I use warriors/knights of khorne in my army)

The red herring for me was the series of diagrams in the rulebook showing which units can attack/be attacked. I suspect the latter only comes in to effect if one were trying to work out whether a character could be hit. In any case I (begrudgingly) took this as confirmation that all but btb were off limits.

I had initially assumed cc wounds were the same as in shooting when directed at a unit (as in they are allocated to the unit and not specific models) but was given some bad information by the person who was staring down the barrel of my 21 str6 attacks :3

This really became an issue when I took to charging my knights at the flanks of my opponent's units , which often consist of 1 or 2 ranks, this meant 9 attacks on 1 model or 13 attacks on 2 models. So yeah it never quite seemed right to me.

Thanks!

The main point to consider is that combat is fluid, and if it would be represented in real life, the soldiers in the 2nd and third ranks would step forward to fill the gaps to fight the enemy (and get killed in the process).

Real soldiers would not look at the empty spot in front of them and think "Next turn I will get you!"

Nope. Everyone in base contact (or whom is legible for am attack) may attack. Wounds are removed from the back row, from each side until there is only one rank left. We assume other gus step forward and tale their place.

A 30 man horde gets 21 attacks as their front line, their supporting and their horde support can all attack. Against even row five at least

If the opponent looses enough models that a rank has fewer then seven in support contact, those lost models under seven are lost. Ergo, unmade attacks are not preformed.

I think that's what you are asking. You can remove models from more then one rank, if needed.