I don't get it why people are so opposed to using the marian troops until some arbitrary point they no longer deem them unfair. It's in the game, might as well use it. The Gauls will come at you wtih Othsworn and the Egyptians will field Thorax Pikemen, so I don't see the issue for the game as it is right now. Sure, I'd like to get timed Marian reforms and similar events, but since we don't have them now and the game is balanced for this tech tree, I see nothing wrong with using them.