When does the Generals Bodyguard unit turn into Armoured Generals Bodyguard???

[General Marius]

Can anyone tell my, how I may get the Armoured general instead of the usually one???

[Boohugh]

For the Roman factions, they change after the Marius Reforms occur. I think this applies to all the other factions as well, but I can't be sure.

[Ellesthyan]

IIRC, it should happen after building the imperial palace. Pre-patch it didn't work though; dont know if it does now.

[Boohugh]

Yeah, sorry, should have said my post applies to 1.2 version of game. The upgrade does work in 1.2, and it is definitely after Marius Reforms, which don't now occur when you build an imperial palace, they occur much later.

[Barbarossa82]

If it's dependent on Marius rather than building an imperial palace, then how does this affect the upgrades of non-Roman generals? It would be a wee bit crap if other factions had to wait for Marius to pull his finger out before their own generals got better kit, if they have already built an imperial palace.

[master of the puppets]

generals cavalry is always the strongest cavalry you can recruit at this time.
merely as an example carthaginian generals ride with roundshield cavalry until any of there towns get an elite cavalry stable then they ride with longshield. eventually they ride with sacred band.