Rules for the Garrison Formation Revision (Cityguard)

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Rules for the Garrison Formation Revision (Cityguard)

Post by Langmann »

There have been several questions concerning this useful unit.

Therefore I am posting the rules for the Revision Cityguard. They are similar to the rules in the Chronicles 2003, but there are some clarifications that need to be made, including costs.

In the revision there is no actual unit known as the Cityguard. What can happen is that regular warriors can adapt the Garrison formation. It is critical to understand how this works.

This is how it looks. You can go to the Petitions Forum and download from the indicated site the rules printed up in an army book style fashion.

Core Units

Dark Elf Warriors Points/model: As per DE army book.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Warrior As per DE army book.
Lording As per DE army book.

Unit size: 10+

Weapons and Armour: Hand weapon, spear, light armour.

Options:

·Any unit may be equipped with shields for +1 pt/model.
·Any unit may replace spears with repeater crossbows for +3 pts/model.
·Any number of models in the unit may replace spears with repeater crossbows for +3 pts/model but must adopt the garrison formation.

·Upgrade one Warrior to a Musician for As per DE army book.
·Upgrade one Warrior to a Standard Bearer As per DE army book.
·Promote one Warrior to a Lordling for As per DE army book.

Special Rules:Hate High Elves.: Garrison Formation.

Garrison Formation:

The unit may adopt a mixed formation where the front rank must always contain repeater crossbows, and additional ranks must always contain spears. This rule may never be broken. If a character joins the unit, it must reform or add ranks if necessary. In addition, the unit cannot turn, but must reform instead. If the unit is equiped with shields, attacks against the front of the unit allow a save of 4+ due to the use of a hand weapon and shield. As well the unit fights with two ranks with spears as normal.


:?: Can the unit add ranks instead of reforming if a character joins the unit since the unit must contain all rxb in the front rank?
:arrow: Yes.

:?: Can the unit turn?
:arrow: No. It must reform to conduct a new facing. If you turn the unit, all the rxb will occupy one space in each rank, or for a complete turn, the back rank. This is not allowed. Therefore you must reform to have all the rxb in the first rank. This is the main drawback of the garrison formation, and thus it's cost is not increased.

:?: If so equipped, can the front rank get the 4+ armour save from hand weapon and shield?
:arrow: Yes. This, on top of being able to move and shoot, is the main benefit of this unit.

:?: How do I manage attacks against the unit if the front rank can fight with hand weapon and shield?
:arrow: Easy, and attacks against the front ranks should not require any extra dice rolling which would slow down the game. Here is an example of how you do it.

Pretend that a unit of spear orcs inflicts 10 wounds on a unit of garrison formed warriors 5x5 formation, armed with shields. Not likely but it could happen. Roll 10 armour save dice all at once. Pretend that you are unlucky and you roll 6 3's and 4 4's. The outcome is that 6 wounds are inflicted and 4 wounds are saved. You are using an armour save of 4+ at all times during this type of attack.

You may ask, but why should the 4 4's give me a save? I mean that those 6 3's wiped out my first rank and into the second where the save is a 5+? The answer to this is really a question. Did it? You see all his attacks were made at once, and some attacks may actually fall upon the same trooper twice, and some may not get through the first time. So take the benefits of this. 4's give you a save against attacks made on the front.

If he is attacking from the side, he must declare attacks, or if you want to save time, just use the number of his troops in base contact with your front trooper to give you that number of 4+ vs. 5+ saves allowed off of one large roll of dice.

:?: So why use garrison formation?
:arrow: Because it gives you a unit that can take charges. 4+ save, and stand and shoot. Because you can move and shoot, allowing you to use combinations of quick units to get into flanking positions. Yes druchii are fast, but cavalry are faster and there are many enemy cavalry units out there, some are core. You will be taking some charges unless you are a genius. Therefore CG gives you a perfect formation to take a charge, allowing you to line up that ever delightful flank charge.
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Post by Reader of posts »

These are good drawbacks, and they would encourage the use of the spearmen more since they can turn and all. Spearmen do need something extra though.

Good work
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Post by Vorchild »

There is also the other rather potent drawback of the garrison formation not being able to take a magic banner like the CG list unit can (those flank charges are a lot less riskier when that unit has a war banner).

Question: Can the unit turn 180? I know it cannot turn, by why should the formation affect it turning 180?
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Post by Purple whisper »

Vorchild wrote:Question: Can the unit turn 180? I know it cannot turn, by why should the formation affect it turning 180?


The reason that a unit in Garrisson cannot turn is because it isn't the unit turning as a whole. Instead, each indivual member turns in place, and the command crew hurry to their new positions.
So, when turning 180 degrees, there would still be crossbow armed warrriors in the rear rank.
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Post by Maelis »

Hmm... Maybe because the guys with rxbows would be standing in the REAR and that do not complement to CITY GUARD formation.

I have ONE BIG suggestion to you all:

CAN WE NAME THIS UNIT OTHERWISE THAN CITYGUARDS?
This name is very confusing and not allways fits to the army fluff, like:
"This is my Druchii Riding Party, muhahahaha, I will loot your vialge and then ...guard it. :? "
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Post by Purple whisper »

Maelis wrote:CAN WE NAME THIS UNIT OTHERWISE THAN CITYGUARDS?
This name is very confusing and not allways fits to the army fluff, like:
"This is my Druchii Riding Party, muhahahaha, I will loot your vialge and then ...guard it. :? "


It has already been named differently: it is now a unit of Warriors in Garrisson Formation.
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Post by Langmann »

I am seriously considering changing the strict formation rules.

Read this:

I think the garrison formation needs something else to make it more fluid.

These two things will do so. First of all the unit should be allowed to turn freely (no reform, costs the same as for regular units). This means that the elves are so well trained they can pass their rxb to the new front rank while the new front rank passes back the spears. This is done at the same time as the unit champion and command move over.

Secondly the unit when adding a character, is allowed to replace one rxb warrior with a spear warrior, who goes into the back rank as usual. When the character leaves the elf draws his rxb and heads to the front again. The drawback of having a character in the front is that it reduces shooting frontage (unless the character also has a rxb, and this may encourage it.)
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Post by Jargobae »

i reckon if a charcter starts off his deployment in a cityguard uni he should have to have an RxBow
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Post by Lord uramael »

The "garrison" formation could be renamed to something more "druchii". It would become the hallmark of the Dark Elf army, much like the greek phalanx and the roman turtle.

I'd go for "Hedgehog formation" or "Drakespine formation". Something more aggressive. We should also give a druchii name for the fluff to go with it.'

I'll test the rules more before commenting on them.
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