diff --git a/source_lists/wesnoth b/source_lists/wesnoth
index 0e185a36674a..c3f347acc25c 100644
--- a/source_lists/wesnoth
+++ b/source_lists/wesnoth
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ units/formula_manager.cpp
 units/frame.cpp
 units/helper.cpp
 units/id.cpp
+units/make.cpp
 units/map.cpp
 units/race.cpp
 units/types.cpp
diff --git a/src/units/make.cpp b/src/units/make.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c422decb162d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/units/make.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+   Copyright (C) 2014 - 2017 by Chris Beck <render787@gmail.com>
+   Part of the Battle for Wesnoth Project http://www.wesnoth.org/
+
+   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
+
+   See the COPYING file for more details.
+*/
+
+#include "units/ptr.hpp"
+#include "units/unit.hpp"
+
+unit_ptr make_unit_ptr(const config& cfg, bool use_traits, const vconfig* vcfg){
+    return { new unit(cfg, use_traits, vcfg) };
+}
+unit_ptr make_unit_ptr(const unit_type& t, int side, bool real_unit, unit_race::GENDER gender){
+    return { new unit(t, side, real_unit, gender) };
+}
+unit_ptr make_unit_ptr(const unit& u){
+    return { new unit(u) };
+}
diff --git a/src/units/make.hpp b/src/units/make.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..897664b73707
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/units/make.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/*
+   Copyright (C) 2014 - 2017 by Chris Beck <render787@gmail.com>
+   Part of the Battle for Wesnoth Project http://www.wesnoth.org/
+
+   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY.
+
+   See the COPYING file for more details.
+*/
+
+#include "units/race.hpp"
+class config;
+class unit_type;
+class vconfig;
+
+unit_ptr make_unit_ptr(const config& cfg, bool use_traits = false, const vconfig* vcfg = nullptr);
+unit_ptr make_unit_ptr(const unit_type& t, int side, bool real_unit, unit_race::GENDER gender = unit_race::NUM_GENDERS);
+unit_ptr make_unit_ptr(const unit& u);