One should remember that eu tech is not the same as technology. EU keeps track of how advanced your domestic taxation system is (Infrastructure), how you tax trade (trade tech), and the armament and doctrines for your troops.
Also while tech groups are deterministic you could argue that by not starting the game at the dawn of mankind you have already chosen to be somewhat deterministic. Societes are in place.
No matter how much money you pump into arming your army and navy an african kingdom will not be able to surpass europeans in this limited time frame (remember as a ruler this is your only tool here, what you do is to invest in new things like more advanced weaponry, you don't actually invent it, you implement it...).
Another thing holding these places back is the fact that development atleast in the military techs kind of has to be a reaction to development in your neighboring countries. A militarily underdeveloped country in a militarily underdeveloped part of the world WILL have a much harder time to modernize than one surrounded by other militaristic and militarily developed states.
Hmm I wonder of the word militarily really exists... Oh well...
Also while tech groups are deterministic you could argue that by not starting the game at the dawn of mankind you have already chosen to be somewhat deterministic. Societes are in place.
No matter how much money you pump into arming your army and navy an african kingdom will not be able to surpass europeans in this limited time frame (remember as a ruler this is your only tool here, what you do is to invest in new things like more advanced weaponry, you don't actually invent it, you implement it...).
Another thing holding these places back is the fact that development atleast in the military techs kind of has to be a reaction to development in your neighboring countries. A militarily underdeveloped country in a militarily underdeveloped part of the world WILL have a much harder time to modernize than one surrounded by other militaristic and militarily developed states.
Hmm I wonder of the word militarily really exists... Oh well...