I just started a game with at least 2 cities. Pavia, the first city, had its production set to make an army unit on turn 1. I did 6 more turns. On turn 7, the the city icon changed color. No army icon is blinking. On the turn, 8, I double clicked the city and the army unit is there but I have to activate it. Move to the 2nd city, the same thing. Later some of the cities will have armies that self-activate.