Roman Calvary

[Cleomenes III]

I've reached the Marian reforms but I still can't recruit auxiliaries and cavalry. I have to rely on cavalry from my annexed Celtic and Greek cities. Is there some sort of trigger to recruit roman cavalry and auxiliaries?

[Pompey]

In order to recruit Auxiliaries you have to reach Imperial Reforms by building Circus Maximus in Rome , until then you have to rely on local cavalry

[ur-Lord Tedric]

For those that are interested - it's also entirely accurate.

During the 'Middle Republic' Rome and their Socii Allies (3x as much) provided their own cavalry. In Rome's case, these were the Equestrian class - riding their own 'eques'/horses. After the time of the Marian Reforms, however, legions were recruited for the longer term, and often from the poorest - Rome no longer seems to have provided its own cavalry - the cavalry accompanying Caesar, Pompey, Crassus, et al, coming commonly from Celtic Allies, Spanish (particularly Pompey) and Germans (often actual mercenaries - mainly Caesar). It wasn't until the (apparent) Augustan/Imperial Reforms that the regularised 'Late' Auxilia units of infantry, cavalry, or mixed, were formed.

If RSII is played to historical timelines - then players would not complete the Imperial Palace in Akragas (the Marian Reforms - ~105BC)) until the first 100 years had passed; and then not build the Circus Maximus until about another 100 years (~31-28BC) - thus spending approximately 200 turns in each military period, moving from Middle to Late Republic and then into the Imperial era. The end of the Late Republic can, if desired, be linked to the 85 settlement Civil War too, for added 'realism'.

If you're like me, however (although I also did it for faster testing initially), then it's probably 40 year periods.....

[Silius Saurus]

The German mercenary cavalry that ur-Lord Tedric mentions as well as other cavalry that you can recruit (if you don't upgrade selected barracks') are more than adequate in the interim.