Originally Posted by
Mr Mystery
Doesn't matter which way you try to butter it matey.
Wielding a Great Weapon does not actually change your I stat. It just means you strike last. That's it.
Lets look at some comparative scenarios.
Two units with I5. No special rules or special equipment. These units strike at the same time.
Two units with I5, one of which has Great Weapons. Great Weapons grant ASL, so nice and straight forward here.
Unit with I5 with Great Weapons, unit with I2 with just hand weapons. Great Weapons again strike last.
So far, so straight forward. Now, let's introduce ASF into this equation.
Both units have I5, and ASF. Units strike simaltaneously, nobody gets a re-roll from ASF. Again, nice and straight forward.
One unit has I5, ASF and a Great Weapon. Other unit is I4, no special rules or equipment. ASF is cancelled out by ASL, and vice versa. Net results, fight is resolved in I order. I5 is higher than I4, so the Great Weapons go first, but without re-rolls. Bit more complicated, but not terribly confusing. Essentially work out each unit's buffs and debuffs separately, then compare I values.
And final example (if not final pemutation....) ASF with Great Weapon and I5, v ASF and I5. As with the first one, let's work out each unit separately. Great Weapon unit has ASF, cancellled by ASL from their Great Weapon, so they strike at the I5 step. The other unit? Well, they effectively strike at the I11 step, as ASF grants them that. However, as nobodies actual I stat is modified in any way, both count as I5 for the purposes of gaining a re-roll to hit.
In your example, Wildwood v Witch Elves. I assume both have the same Initiative stat (I don't have the Wood Elf book yet, so can't check myself).
Witch Elves have ASF, and their set Initiative value of 6. So against opponents without ASF, they will get to strike first, and if their opponent is I5 or less, will also get a re-roll to hit.
Wildwood Rangers. Being Elves, they benefit from ASF. But, they also carry Great Weapons, which they must use (as per Warhammer rulebook, you must use a non-basic hand weapon if you have one). The Great Weapons have the ASL special rule, so normally you'd strike last, regardless of I modifiers. However, ASL and ASF as already established cancel one another out, meaning the Wildwood Rangers simply revert to striking in strict Initiative order, as if they had neither rule.
Now lets put those together..... If as your suggesting Wildwood Rangers have the same Initiative as Witch Elves, then the combat works as follows....
Witch Elves strike first as they have ASF. But, as the Initiative values are tied, they don't get to re-roll to hit. And that's it. Pure and simple, no room for quibbling or dodgy 'RAW' arguments.
Witch Elves would still strike first even if the Wildwood Rangers had a higher Initiative value, because that's what ASF does for you. If it didn't, the rule itself would be pretty pointless.