If everyone is 1st level and just starting then start the campaign in jail and save the time and hard feelings of a futile struggle. They will still say "What? We start in jail?" and you will have gotten the response you want deus ex machina except less noticibly so.
Just give all the guards Expertise and Improved Disarm. You have 2 guards per pc so use them effectively. Have the first guard disarm the character and the second guard readies - "If pc draws weapon I disarm him". Then next round first guard subdues second guard continues ready until all pcs are down or give up.
edit - forgot to add
Give the guards a large weapon that gets a +2 bonus to disarm. The large part will give them a +4 per weapon size difference to disarm.
