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Do we know WHY models charging through difficult terrain fight at initiative 1 step? Do we know WHY AP2 weapons ignore armour saves? Yes, we do. It's because the rules tell us that they do. We don't assume that AP2 weapons modify the profiles of the targets to make them armour "-". We don't assume difficult terrain modifies the initiative value of the chargers. We just follow the rules as they are written and we don't try to add more to them so they work better in our minds. AP weapons just ignore armour saves, because that's what they say they do. Unwieldy weapons ignore the initiative of their wielder and make that fight at step 1 because that's what they say they do.

Again, look at Tyranid Lash Whips. Look at Necron Whip Coils. Their rules specifically state that they change the initiative of a model. Unwieldy doesn't say anything like this.

 Ghaz wrote:
Except it doesn't tell us why the model fights at Initiative 1.

Yes it does. They fight at initiative 1 because they are using an Unwieldy weapon.

Does it fight at Initiative 1 because it's Initiative has been changed?

No, because the rule doesn't say to change the model's initiative.

Without knowing that why we are simply deciding not to use the only rules provided that cover this situation without a clear answer that we should do so.

The rules you're trying to use don't cover the situation.

You're trying to use rules for modifiers despite admitting that the Unwieldy rule doesn't say to modify the model's initiative.

There is simply no need to add in extra rules here. The model fights at Initiative 1 because the unwieldy rule says that they fight at initiative 1. The rules for modifiers are completely irrelevant.

If you look at the rule for concussive as well it specifically mentions that it reduces the initiative to 1 for any model who suffers an unsaved wound by a weapon with this rule. So you throw that in with the lashwhips and whip coils examples.