just to make things clear : WS limits you how many Strike / Great Strike (but NOT counter strike) you can do in a row. So, if you are fighting with your fist (WS 3), and you have reflexes of 4, your FIGHT script might look like : strike/strike/strike/counterstrike. Is that correct?
Also, let’s say a character also using his fist only have Relflexes of 3. He can use strike 3 consecutives time. Let’s say both antagonists survive the first exchange. What about the first action of the first volley of the second exchange? Can he uses strike? Or must he take a rest action?
According to the effect description of Counterstrike (p. 444), the attack portion counts as a Strike action. Bare fists having a WS of 3, I’d say you can’t script strike/strike/strike/counterstrike; you’d need some other action instead of counterstrike.
For your second question – the restriction on Strikes and WS (I checked p. 441 and 466f) doesn’t take account of exchanges; the text only says “consecutively”. So, after scripting strike/strike/strike in the first exchange, you’d have to start off the second exchange with some other action.
Weapon speed is only for scripting purposes. You can’t script Strike or Great Strike. I’ve extended that to the other attack actions (Block and Strike, Lock and Strike for Great Wolves) as well, and I think that’s in the intent, but the rules aren’t totally clear. Counterstrike is a defensive action. You can script it as often as you want.
Yes, the restriction is consecutive. It doesn’t matter whether all those Strikes are in one volley (how high are your reflexes?) or over several exchanges.
… I suppose this is power-gamer argument, but I’ve realised that there is no penalty for weapon length with counterstrike, but there is sone with Strike… So, I suppose a char with a rather “high” fighting skill is rewarded for “always” doing Counterstike with only 1D in defense, so he can avoid all the penalties of strike and the like?
Remember that Counterstrike does nothing if your opponent isn’t attacking on that go (Block & Strike does – it’s a pretty awesome move, if you have a shield; but you’re paying for that shield with penalties to a number of the more “whole-body-oriented” actions).