How to cathch up tech?

[hhyy_best]

Let's say I finally westernized and now I am 5 tech back in every category. In eu3 and eu2 I can catch up via investing more money. But in eu4 it's all about points. The only way I can think of is that I have level 3 advisors while the advanced nations have level 2.... and 10-15%neibour bonus... It that enough for me to catch up in tech in say 100 years....

or maybe the game is balanced in a way that you can easily reach the historical year without using all points so that as long as I spend every points on tech I can catch up these countries that is stopped by the historical year ? cannot see clearly in demo though...

BTW, the only way to get advisor is random? Then there will be the case that I have the money but cannot spend... I guess generate advisor will be the content of the expansion set...

 

[hhyy_best]

Oh, and also, I am fine with china and india has lower starting tech than europe and muslim though i don't think this is the case in 1450 but I checked the tech group file.... nomad start with the same tech with europe and muslim..... it this a typo or just for balance to limit china and india.... or you really think of that.......

 

[Illanair]

You don't - You never catch up. You can spend your monarch points on tech instead of elsewhere, but you'll never receive free points just because you westernize.

 

[gibbel]

I think you get a 5% neighbor bonus per tech level that you're behind. In time you should be able to catch up. You may have to cut back on your other monarch point expenses, like buildings, for a while.

 

[Augustus93]

My strategy would be to invest in ideas until westernized then focus on techs. and do you have to be behind all three categories or only one?

 

[Raen]

Remember that the AI nations won't be spending points exclusively on tech, they'll also be spending on ideas (at least, I hope they have to play by the same rules we do). So if you spent your points on nothing but tech, it should theoretically be possible for you to catch up.

But I think we've all been a little guilty with the demo of EU3-thinking: that technology is all. The measure of your nation's power should be (Ideas + Technology), not just Technology, the way it was in EU3.

 

[Thanik]

My strategy would be to invest in ideas until westernized then focus on techs. and do you have to be behind all three categories or only one?

My strategy with westernization with Ottomans was similar. And I accumulated money to hire the best advisors to get stability.
To westernize you need total 8 lvl gap from all tech, so for example 2 from DIP, 4 from ADM and 2 from ML tech. They are added together.

 

[unmerged(416135)]

I'm 99% percent certain the neighbour bonus is capped out at 25%

although there are historical technology years and that also allows you to catch up too

 

[Idiotboy]

My strategy with westernization with Ottomans was similar. And I accumulated money to hire the best advisors to get stability.
To westernize you need total 8 lvl gap from all tech, so for example 2 from DIP, 4 from ADM and 2 from ML tech. They are added together.

That should make things slightly simpler. I thought it was 8 techs in all fields. That would have been brutal.

 

[Augustus93]

I would sacrifice either military tech or diplomatic tech. administration tech is important for unlocking ideas so would not be good to sacrifice. plus we can also store around 1000 points in each category, no need to spend it at once...

 

[Sahal]

I would sacrifice either military tech or diplomatic tech. administration tech is important for unlocking ideas so would not be good to sacrifice. plus we can also store around 1000 points in each category, no need to spend it at once...

Yeah dude but westernizing will make you lose all MP if I'm not mistaken ??

Personally if playing as a muslim I would go for Ideas and Extra Piety

So you would get extra morale even though your lagging behind and go for ADM to get Ideas.

when you westernize you would only be lagging in Military and Diplomacy so you would gradually go to the "left" (if I'm not mistaken) of the Piety scale so you would get a "Discount on technology" so catching up will probably take a couple of decades.

And if I'm not mistaken (again LOL) you would get a bonus for being behind in tech

 

[Idiotboy]

Yeah dude but westernizing will make you lose all MP if I'm not mistaken ??

Well monarch points can sort of be saved into ideas since everyone will be forced to spent them into that sooner or later. Only problem is the admin ideas since you cant really be using them but then again those trees arent exactly setting the world afire anyway. Chucking lots of MP into the military ideas might even have your units stay relatively on par with the more tech advanced neighbours.

 

[Sahal]

Well monarch points can sort of be saved into ideas since everyone will be forced to spent them into that sooner or later. Only problem is the admin ideas since you cant really be using them but then again those trees arent exactly setting the world afire anyway. Chucking lots of MP into the military ideas might even have your units stay relatively on par with the more tech advanced neighbours.

Yes that's exactly why I will use them on ADMIN and Ideas so atleast I already have my ideas lined up even though I'm a bit backwards going for quality and Right in piety will help with morale/discipline etc. which will help you atleast beat Smaller western stack until you are able to westernize

 

[Augustus93]

Yes that's exactly why I will use them on ADMIN and Ideas so atleast I already have my ideas lined up even though I'm a bit backwards going for quality and Right in piety will help with morale/discipline etc. which will help you atleast beat Smaller western stack until you are able to westernize

this may sound stupid but what is piety?

 

[Illanair]

this may sound stupid but what is piety?

Piety is a special thing for the Muslim nations.

 

[Lessing]

I used a cheat decision for my Portugal game, the decision gave me +999 power in all 3 areas. I pumped tech up to 16.

In 1520, my neighbour Castille had 1 tech level higher than the other Western nations.

This just goes to show that you will catch up somewhen if you westernize. A consistent ~-20% cost due to neighbouring will make you be able to catch up.

edit: yea, and piety helps Muslims to catch up.

 

[Augustus93]

Piety is a special thing for the Muslim nations.

ah that explains why I haven't heard about it, I kind of only played European nations in the EU series.