▣ Colonist
- Cost: 80 Production
- Movement: 2
- Abilities: Outpost construction
- Prerequisite Tech: Pioneering
Colonists found outposts that grow over time. Protect them at all costs when on the move. It's best to have an infantry unit of some workers stay in their tile and move to the same location each turn. That way, you won't get ambushed and killed by anything that's hiding nearby.
▣ Worker
- Cost: 60 Production
- Movement: 2
- Abilities: Improves tiles
- Prerequisite Tech: Habitation
Workers create improvements on tiles. Your cities and nation won't thrive quickly without them. Like colonists, they must be protected by military units. If aliens or potentially hostile units approach your area, place a military unit on the same tile as your threatened worker.
▣ Trade Convoy
- Cost: 60 Production
- Movement: 2
- Abilities: Creates a trade route
- Prerequisite Tech: Pioneering
Establish land trade routes with nearby stations, outposts, and cities. These units get you huge amounts of gold, Science, Production, Food, Culture, or even military units. It's hard to be the best without using trade convoys as often as possible.
▣ Trade Vessel
- Cost: 70 Production
- Movement: 3
- Abilities: Creates a trade route over water
- Prerequisite Tech: Pioneering
Naval trade routes have similar functions to their land rivals, but you get more resources out of them. That said, the seas are a dangerous place. You end up losing trade vessels to aliens more often because there is no perfect way to protect them.