Ultimately, all successful games of Colonization will end in combat, as your fledling colonies declare independence and fight to separate themselves from the European continent. Thus, you must maintain a sizeable army, potentially consisting of soldiers, cannons, and dragoons, and, if possible, a navy as well. Keep in mind that the Royal Expeditionary Force (REF), the term given to the soldiers sent by the King in Europe, can grow in size throughout the game, and so what may have been an adequate defense years ago could no longer ensure victory. The REF, however, lands at your shores in waves, making it more manageable to handle.

Units can be acquired in a variety of ways: the most straightforward, but also the most expensive, involves buying units directly from Europe for an amount of gold. While these troops may be more experienced, they also require an increasing amount of gold: that is, the second cannon you purchase costs more than the first. On the other hand, you can create units in the homeland at the cost of no gold, but rather resources. You need a stockpile of Guns (which can be manufactured from Tools in an Armory) to equip ordinary colonists into soldiers. Dragoons can also be created from Guns as well as Horses, offering a mounted alternative.

Note: The 41 units available in Colonization are detailed below, with their information accurate as of the game version 1.00.

Image	Name	Strength	Movement	Requires	Abilities
	Artillery	4	1	40 Tools 200 Hammers Armory / Magazine / Arsenal	Replaces Cannon Doesn't receive defensive bonuses +150% settlement attack +50% settlement defense Can bombard settlement defense (-20%/turn)
	Cannon	3	1	40 Tools 200 Hammers Armory / Magazine / Arsenal	Doesn't receive defensive bonuses +100% settlement attack +50% settlement defense Can bombard settlement defense (-12%/turn) Replaced by Artillery
	Caravel	3	3	30 Tools 100 Hammers Drydock	Cargo space: 2 Can only defend Chance to escape to Drydock or Shipyard after losing a battle
	Converted Native	0	1	-	Can only defend Can found a new settlement -1 production of Cloth, Coats, Rum, Cigars, Tools, Guns, Hammers, Liberty Bells, Crosses, Education +1 production of Food, Lumber, Silver, Cotton, Fur, Sugar, Tobacco, Ore, Horses
	Elder Statesman	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of Liberty Bells
	Expert Cotton Planter	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of Cotton
	Expert Farmer	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +3 production of food on land +2 food from bonus resources
	Expert Fisherman	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +3 production of food on water +2 food from bonus resources
	Expert Lumberjack	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of lumber
	Expert Ore Miner	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of ore
	Expert Silver Miner	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of silver
	Expert Sugar Planter	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of sugar
	Expert Tobacco Planter	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of tobacco
	Expert Trapper	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of fur
	Firebrand Preacher	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of crosses
	Free Colonist	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement Replaced by Native
	Frigate	8	5	200 Tools 200 Muskets 300 Hammers Shipyard	Can bombard settlement defense (-8%/turn)
	Galleon	5	3	100 Tools 300 Hammers Drydock	Cargo space: 6 Can only defend
	Great General	0	2	-	Can provide a one time 20 experience to units in the same tile. Grants free upgrades to the unit it attaches to.
	Hardy Pioneer	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement Improves the land 100% faster
	Indentured Servant	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement -1 production of Cloth, Coats, Rum, Cigars, Tools, Guns, Hammers, Liberty Bells, Crosses, Education
	Jesuit Missionary	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement Missions are 50% more effective
	Man-o-War	12	4	300 Tools 300 Muskets 400 Hammers	Replaces Ship of the Line Cargo space: 4 +50% vs.Frigate Can bombard settlement defense (-12%/turn)
	Master Blacksmith	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of tools
	Master Carpenter	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of hammer
	Master Distiller	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of rums
	Master Fur Trader	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of coats
	Master Gunsmith	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of guns
	Master Rancher	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of horses
	Master Tobacconist	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of cigars
	Master Weaver	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement +100% production of cloths
	Merchantman	4	4	60 Tools 200 Hammers Drydock	Cargo space: 4 Can only defend Chance to escape to Drydock or Shipyard after losing a battle
	Native	0	1	50 Hammers	Replaces free colonist Can found a new settlement +25% marsh attack +75% jungle attack +75% forest attack +50% light forest attack +1 production of fur +2 production of ore
	Petty Criminal	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement -2 production of Liberty Bells, Crosses, Education -1 production of Cloth, Coats, Rum, Cigars, Tools, Guns, Hammers
	Privateer	5	4	60 Tools 100 Muskets 200 Hammers Drydock	Cargo space: 2 Hidden nationality Can attack without declaring war Captures the cargo of defeated transports Starts with Navigation I
	Regular	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement Doesn't receive defensive bonuses +50% settlement attack Starts with Veteran I, Veteran II
	Seasoned Scout	0	1	-	Better results from ancient ruins Can found a new settlement
	Ship of the Line	8	4	300 Tools 300 Muskets 400 Hammers Shipyard	+50% vs.Frigate Can bombard settlement defense (-12%/turn) Replaced by Man-o-War
	Treasure	0	1	-	Can be transported by Galleon Can be exchanged for gold in Europe
	Veteran Soldier	0	1	-	Can found a new settlement Starts with Veteran I, Leadership
	Wagon Train	0	2	40 Hammers	Cargo space: 2 (carries goods)

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