This is a pretty easy modification to give yourself starting units ala ColWin and Col1. Basically, you get a veteran soldier and pioneer rather than two regular colonists.

For each new-world player, replace the starting units with the following:

File: Civ4CivilizationInfos.xml

<FreeUnitClasses>
<FreeUnitClass>
<UnitClassType>UNITCLASS_CARAVEL</UnitClassType>
<FreeUnitProfession>NONE</FreeUnitProfession>
</FreeUnitClass>
<FreeUnitClass>
<UnitClassType>UNITCLASS_PIONEER</UnitClassType>
<FreeUnitProfession>PROFESSION_PIONEER</FreeUnitProfession>
</FreeUnitClass>
<FreeUnitClass>
<UnitClassType>UNITCLASS_VETERAN</UnitClassType>
<FreeUnitProfession>PROFESSION_SOLDIER</FreeUnitProfession>
</FreeUnitClass>
</FreeUnitClasses>

Aren't the starting units in the new game the same as the old one? France gets a Hardy Pioneer, Spain gets a Veteran Soldier, The Dutch get a Marchantman, and the English get nothing?

Aren't the starting units in the new game the same as the old one? France gets a Hardy Pioneer, Spain gets a Veteran Soldier, The Dutch get a Marchantman, and the English get nothing?

Nope, just played ColWin (which MAY be different from Col1, now that I think on it), but all empires had a veteran soldier and a hardy pioneer. The only difference that I saw was the Dutch getting a Merchantman. (Which, admittedly, I should have noted).

Spain's soldier was a dragoon, though, now that I think on it.

Nope, just played ColWin (which MAY be different from Col1, now that I think on it), but all empires had a veteran soldier and a hardy pioneer. The only difference that I saw was the Dutch getting a Merchantman. (Which, admittedly, I should have noted).

Spain's soldier was a dragoon, though, now that I think on it.

I checked the DOS version, it's the same as Col 2.

Weird, I always assumed ColWin and the DOS version were exactly the same, but you're right, they are different. I wonder why Windows users got better units?

I checked the DOS version, it's the same as Col 2.

Weird, I always assumed ColWin and the DOS version were exactly the same, but you're right, they are different. I wonder why Windows users got better units?

ColWin has a number of minor updates to the game engine overall... nothing too huge, but noticable when you're messing around with both games. I suspect it was just the 'next patch' version of the game, and it never got applied to the then-dead DOS version.

Nope, just played ColWin (which MAY be different from Col1, now that I think on it), but all empires had a veteran soldier and a hardy pioneer.

It depends on difficulty level for me in Col-1. On easiest level all gets veteran and hardy.

It was like this in the original Colonization:

Discoverer Explorer Conquistador Governor Viceroy
French: V. Soldier same as Soldier same as same as
H. Pioneer Discover H. Pioneer Conquist. Conquist.

Dutch: V. Soldier "" Soldier "" ""
Pioneer Pioneer

Spanish: V. Soldier "" V. Soldier "" ""
Pioneer Pioneer

English: V. Soldier "" Soldier "" ""
Pioneer Pioneer