I see what you mean, if you edit a pioneer to give it a bow and remove the weak trait, you end up with a unit exactly like a basic archer including production cost, but can make cities. Which leads to the question... why not make every unit out of a base settler unit?
Even so, I'd argue that the beta is not the time to pretend a feature doesn't exist, at least until there's notice that the feature will be removed.
Besides, one thing I liked about Alpha Centauri was the ability to upgrade one's supply carriers and terraformers. I think upgradability for settlers has a lot of potential in FE as well, it just needs a little tweaking. Make settler a trait, or even equipment like in WOM, and increase production cost with it. Just make sure this trait/equipment isn't available to slaves or constructs. (The idea of constructs founding a town makes me think of Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock simulating intercourse using Peter and Lois dolls.)
