I am Cataline in a reacting to the past game and it has come to the triarii. How many troops would have been in the city at that time, and what could Cataline have done different strategically to accomplish his goal without dying?
On a regular basis, there would not have been soldiers inside the city. Soldiers inside the city usually mean something has gone terribly, terribly wrong.
In 63, as part of his effort to keep Catiline from being elected, Cicero delayed elections until Lucullus celebrated his triumph (September? October?), and so quite a number of soldiers would have been in the city then (and available to vote for Lucullus' guy, Murena). They would not have stuck around very long as soldiers though.
What do you mean by Catiline's goals? What are his goals? Get elected consul? For 63 or 62? Kill Cicero? Burn the city? Defeat Antonius in the field?