I'm thinking about starting a Dark Elf Army and looking at the City Garrison list I thought it looked very effective. So I tried to find some info on it by looking here and at Druchi.net and I couldn't find any! Whats wrong with it? City Garrison look like some of the best units in the game; mixed formation with spears and Reapeter Xbows, 4+ Armour save in combat, only 10 points with shields. You can also take a sick number of bolt throwers, hopefully no one would ever take 8! only one sorceress is limiting, it makes the you go defensive in magic but with 2 dispel scrolls and the seal of ghrond (i think?) it shouldn't be a problem. So what's the catch? I look forward to having my opinion hopelesly butchered :D

Its a tad dull. That would be the main reason for people not wanting to use it. There is currently a list or two on the AL section of D.net with some bad examples of City Guard list. I personally am rather fond of the list. I especially love the thrree attack sorceress. If I ever play border patrol I will be taking a lvl 1 sorceress with the crimson death and going for steed of Shadows :D - very Shabba. The garrison formation is a very nice way of playing. The problem is units cost a bomb. Without the revsised cost of warriors kicking in your 20 strong unit already costs 40pts more then it should. Other problems include a a very restrictive special selection. Although two units of harpies is right up my street. :D The list is fine, but as with every army most people tend to play the Vanilla list, simply because it is more flexible.

Yeah whats with that Sorceress, is it a typo? I have a question about reforming mixed units. I would like to use 16 city Guard deployed 8x2 to start with and then want to reform to 4x4 when the enemy gets close. The thing is what happens to the 4 crossbow armed warriors that are being moved? Can they go in the back, or do they go in the second rank which whould make spears useless? Or has G-W never thought of this?

Well, a close look at the BRB, and the wording in reformation, I would indeed say that you can put any model anywhere yuo like in the formation (as long as characters and command are in front. Keep in mind if you reforem you would not be able to shoot. If you are not that worried about spear attacks, you could always 'add 2 ranks' which still allows you to shoot, but does not allow those rxb front-row-centre to move.

I think, anyway you try to do it, you can get them into the formation you want to.

My experiences with the cityguard list (which are limited) include ppl taking 8 RBTs. As you can imagine, it's kinda like playing the (endlessly boring) seaguard list. There woud indeed be ways to get this list to work right, which is nice. The fluff you could create is also an advantage :D

It was a deliberate typo. Well it was atypo that Gav decided not to fix, because it is just to kool.

It clearly states in the mixed formation rules that crossbow armed modles must remain in the front rank at all times. Therefore you may not change formation. That is why 21 strong units are rather useful. Ok you only get +2 rank bonus, but you do get 14 shots per turn. 18 also works well and if you have the desire 24...

8 RBTs is a huge waste of point. 3 is the most you will ever need. I wouldn't go beyond two. Not only because more is a waste, but because chariots aren't 2 for one, and I want at least two, maybe three.

Thats insane that you can't change formation! what if you turn? not being able to reform a unit is crazy and there's no way they'd have that. That might be what the rules say but it can't be what they meant. If it's true my dreams of a City Garrison have just died. :(
So I checked and yes the dream has died. Stupid Games-Workshop grrrr :angry:
"Crossbowmen must be placed in the first rank and reamain there."

Its not stupid, it very lovely. 'Else they would go in the second rank and cut your spears out. Yes it makes the formation hard to manuvre, but thats the downside.

Another eason many people don't use the list is that the city garrison don't get the benefits of the new rules update. So the city guard are 10pts with shield and the ordinary warriors only 8pts. Quite a price to pay