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Example: 2 units are stuck in close combat. The close combat takes place in a forest (=cover). After the first round, cover does no longer influence initiative for these two units, but how is initiative worked out, when a third unit charges into the ongoing fight and enters cover in the process?

This has allready been discussed and the result was that the RaW cant give a definitve answer.

Now reading the Space Wolve FAQ I found a piece that might finally provide a way to solve the issue within the RaW, or at least give a strong argument towards one direction. Here it is (it explains how Storm Caller works):

"Remember that cover only matters in the first round of close combat and subsequently attacks will occur in normal order. New units charging the unit with Storm Caller will be affected though"

P1: Storm Caller is a psychic power, that grants benefits of cover to a unit ( 5+ coversave and ini 10)

P2: The "cover effect" granted by Storm Caller affects new units charging in.

C1: This does not allow to judge how units charging into "normal" cover are treated.

Assumption: For reasons of coherency units charging into "normal cover" and into the "Storm Caller cover" are treated the same.

C2: Units charging into an ongoing close combat in cover, strike after the units that are allready in cover.

( C2 is not true by definition, since it is based on assumption )

As a sidenote: I hate this ruling, since it makes things complicated. Sadly at least for Storm Caller the rules are pretty clear and one has to assume that normal cover works  in the same way.

The arising problem:

1. Grey Hunters under Storm Caller are attacked by Gaunts. - Hunters strike at ini10 and Gaunts strike at ini4.

2. Next round, Genestealers charge the Hunters, who are allready bound in close combat. The FAQ clearly says that Storm Caller affects the incoming Genestealers. But how?!?

Hunters and Gaunts fight each other at normal initiative (both 4). And the Hunters fight the Stealers with the benefit of Storm Caller (Ini10 vs ini6) - So beginning with ini10 the Hunters may allocate attacks towards the Stealers and then later on, with ini4, may allocate the remaining attacks towards the Gaunts?

Or do the units in cover fight first (ini4 both) and then, what is left from the Hunters and hasnt attacked yet, may fight aganst the Stealers (ini10 vs ini6)?

Cover has no effect after the first round of combat. That's pretty clear. So everyone strikes at their normal I.

Stormcaller, however, has it's own specific rule that means it does, and those models get to jump up to I10 if they get assaulted.

Interesting take, but here's another (somewhat related) question:

Unit A is in cover, unit B charges unit A.  For that round of combat, unit A has initiative 10 as determined by the rules.

Unit C charges unit A in a following assault phase.  Unit C is equipped with frag grenades.  According to the description of frag grenades: "Models armed with frag grenades that are charging enemy in or behind cover fight with Initiative 10, so they strike blows simultaneously with the defenders"

Ed, would unit C strike at initiative 10 (since unit A is in cover), but unit A strike at their normal initiative (since they are in an ongoing combat and cover has no effect for them)?

Wouldn't the clause "so they strike blows simultaneously with the defenders" be broken by this interpretation?

KW

I think it's at least a debatable point. Assaulting cover has an effect on the attacker and the defender.

Mauleed: "Cover has no effect after the first round of combat."

The problem is that the rules are not clear about whos round of combat is meant here. The defenders first round or the attackers first round.

If we assume its the attackers first round, then each unit joining an ongoing close combat will be affected by cover (like the FAQ for Storm Caller explicitly states.)

Can anyone solve this?

Sure. Defenders in cover get an initiative bonus. If the defenders have already been in combat for a round, then its no longer their first round of combat, hence they get no bonus. If the rule penalized the attacker, I could see it the other way.

It's the first round of THE combat. If you join in an ongoing combat, you don't create a new one. So the combat is no longer in the first round and frags/cover have no effect.