Technology Levels

[Galveston Bay]

At this point in history technology can be a critical and at times decisive advantage. In game terms a difference in technology provides an important advantage in combat and even more of an advantage in logistics. When the next century and things like flight, tanks, chemical weapons etc come to the fore, not to mention radio, it becomes even more so. Technology is not just machines but also administrative systems as both become more sophisticated and capable. Tech level is a measure of both

TL 0 Stone Age, clans Amazon Highlands, some North American and Central American Indians, some groups in Indochina, Indonesia, and the Philippines and Aborgines native peoples, Inuit peoples
TL 1 Stone Age, tribal example North American Plains Indians, Papau highlands, Polynesians, Melanesians
(note that both of the above might have access to modern weapons equal to their enemies but still lack the sophistication of their industrial enemies. This applies to any relatively lower tech level society. Cheyenne Indians with repeating rifles are still going to be doomed in the end)
TL 2 Tribal Kingdoms, have metalworking but lack bureacratic structures, example: Bantu cultures including the Zulu, some Saharan groups

TL 3 Feudal societies, have metalworking and gunpowder weapons but power exclusively remains in the hands of the noble and royal class (or priests)
examples: Qing Dynasty, Moghul Empire in India, Arabia and Berber tribes, Central Asia, Persian Empire, Japan, Korea, Indochina, any colony of TL 4 nation

TL 1-3 can only be agrarian nations

TL 4 National administration with sophisticated structures, large sailing ships, muskets, commercial nations emerge, some banking and middle class power becomes important in the cities
Russian Empire, Gran Colombia, Kingdom of Italy, Ottoman Empire, Greek Republic, Kingdom of Portugal (and Brazil), Republic of Sicily, Republic of Spain, Kingdom of Catalonia, Basque Confederacy

TL 5 has or soon will steam powered industrial plants, clipper ships, rifles, industrial nations available, early industrial revolution, experimental steamships, railroads with ocean going steamships and long distance railroads coming soon. OTL era 1810s-1830s

TL 6 COMING SOON
Steam powered industry expands, steamships with propellers instead of paddle wheels, long distance railroads, telegraph, revolvers, simple ironclads
OTL 1840s-1860s

TL 7 Iron / steel ships, oceanic telegraph cables, civil service, gatling guns, breech loading field artillery OTL 1870s-90s

[Galveston Bay]

Modernization
see army and navy threads