diff --git a/res/eressea/equipment.xml b/res/eressea/equipment.xml
index 6e2f25b95..d78705a06 100644
--- a/res/eressea/equipment.xml
+++ b/res/eressea/equipment.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,273 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <equipment>
 
+  <!-- one equipment-set per player-race for the first unit in a faction -->
+  <set name="first_dwarf">
+    <item name="axe" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="chainmail" amount="1"/>
+    <skill name="melee" level="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_elf">
+    <item name="fairyboot" amount="1"/>
+    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_orc">
+    <skill name="polearm" level="4"/>
+    <skill name="melee" level="4"/>
+    <skill name="crossbow" level="4"/>
+    <skill name="catapult" level="4"/>
+    <skill name="bow" level="4"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_goblin">
+    <item name="roi" amount="1"/>
+    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_human">
+    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_troll">
+    <skill name="building" level="1"/>
+    <skill name="perception" level="3"/>
+    <item name="stone" amount="50"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_demon">
+    <skill name="stamina" level="15"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_insect">
+    <item name="nestwarmth" amount="9"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_halfling">
+    <skill name="trade" level="1"/>
+    <skill name="riding" level="2"/>
+    <item name="horse" amount="2"/>
+    <item name="cart" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="balm" amount="5"/>
+    <item name="spice" amount="5"/>
+    <item name="myrrh" amount="5"/>
+    <item name="jewel" amount="5"/>
+    <item name="oil" amount="5"/>
+    <item name="silk" amount="5"/>
+    <item name="incense" amount="5"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_cat">
+    <item name="roi" amount="1"/>
+    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_aquarian">
+    <skill name="sailing" level="1"/>
+    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="first_centaur">
+    <callback name="equip_newunits"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <!-- equipment-sets for random encounters -->
+  <set name="random_desert">
+    <skill name="melee" level="d2"/>
+    <skill name="trade" level="d3"/>
+    <skill name="riding" level="d2+1"/>
+    <skill name="training" level="d2+1"/>
+    <item name="horse" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="sword" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d30+19"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_swamp">
+    <skill name="stealth" level="d3+1"/>
+    <skill name="polearm" level="d3+1"/>
+    <item name="spear" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d20+9"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_glacier">
+    <skill name="armorer" level="d2+1"/>
+    <skill name="melee" level="d2+1"/>
+    <item name="sword" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d20+19"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_mountain">
+    <skill name="armorer" level="d2+1"/>
+    <skill name="melee" level="d2+1"/>
+    <skill name="trade" level="d3"/>
+    <item name="sword" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d40+59"/>
+    <subset chance="0.6">
+      <set name="item_plate"/>
+    </subset>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_highland">
+    <skill name="melee" level="d2"/>
+    <item name="sword" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d10+19"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_forest">
+    <skill name="stealth" level="d2"/>
+    <skill name="perception" level="d2+1"/>
+    <skill name="bow" level="d3+1"/>
+    <item name="bow" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d20+9"/>
+    <subset chance="0.2">
+      <set name="random_herbalist"/>
+    </subset>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_herbalist">
+    <skill name="herbalism" level="d2"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_villagers">
+    <item name="money" amount="d80+19"/>
+    <skill name="cartmaking" level="d2-1"/>
+    <skill name="mining" level="d2-1"/>
+    <skill name="quarrying" level="d2-1"/>
+    <skill name="forestry" level="d2-1"/>
+    <item name="horse" amount="2"/>
+    <item name="wagon" amount="d2-1"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d30+10"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_plain">
+    <item name="money" amount="d80+19"/>
+    <subset>
+      <set name="random_sword" chance="0.25"/>
+      <set name="random_spear" chance="0.25"/>
+      <set name="random_crossbow" chance="0.25"/>
+      <set name="random_bow" chance="0.25"/>
+    </subset>
+    <subset chance="0.4">
+      <set name="item_chain"/>
+    </subset>
+    <subset chance="0.3">
+      <set name="random_rider"/>
+    </subset>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_spear">
+    <skill name="polearm" level="d3"/>
+    <item name="spear" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_sword">
+    <skill name="melee" level="d3"/>
+    <item name="sword" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_crossbow">
+    <skill name="crossbow" level="d3"/>
+    <item name="crossbow" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_bow">
+    <skill name="bow" level="d3"/>
+    <item name="bow" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="random_rider">
+    <item name="horse" amount="1"/>
+    <skill name="riding" level="d3"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="recruited_dracoid">
+    <!-- dracoiden, von drachen rekrutiert -->
+    <skill name="polearm" level="d4+2"/>
+    <skill name="melee" level="d4+2"/>
+    <skill name="bow" level="d3+1"/>
+    <subset>
+      <!-- dracoiden haben immer eine von drei waffen -->
+      <set name="item_sword" chance="0.33"/>
+      <set name="item_spear" chance="0.33"/>
+      <set name="item_bow" chance="0.34"/>
+    </subset>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="rising_undead">
+    <!-- untote, von den graebern auferstanden -->
+    <item name="rustysword" amount="1"/>
+    <item name="rustychainmail" amount="d2-1"/>
+    <subset chance="0.3">
+      <set name="item_rustyshield"/>
+    </subset>
+  </set>
+
+
+  <!-- single-item sets (that can be given a percentage-chance in a subset) -->
+  <set name="item_plate">
+    <item name="plate" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="item_spear">
+    <item name="spear" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="item_bow">
+    <item name="bow" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="item_sword">
+    <item name="sword" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="item_chain">
+    <item name="chainmail" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="item_log">
+    <item name="log" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="item_rustychain">
+    <item name="rustychainmail" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="dragon_spoils">
+    <item name="dragonblood" amount="4"/>
+    <item name="dragonhead" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="youngdragon_spoils">
+    <item name="dragonblood" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="wyrm_spoils">
+    <item name="dragonblood" amount="10"/>
+    <item name="dragonhead" amount="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <!-- sets that are used by the monster-spawning code -->
+  <set name="monster_dragon">
+    <skill name="magic" level="4"/>
+    <skill name="stealth" level="1"/>
+    <skill name="stamina" level="1"/>
+    <skill name="perception" level="d3"/>
+    <item name="money" amount="d500+99"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="monster_braineater">
+    <skill name="stealth" level="1"/>
+    <skill name="perception" level="1"/>
+  </set>
+
+  <set name="monster_seaserpent">
+    <skill name="magic" level="4"/>
+    <skill name="stealth" level="2"/>
+    <skill name="stamina" level="1"/>
+    <skill name="perception" level="3"/>
+  </set>
+
   <set name="new_orc_unit">
     <skill name="polearm" level="1"/>
     <skill name="melee" level="1"/>