Make a wider tech tree instead of the current 3 add 1 to each age, this will fix the problem of almost all players already having no technology to research.
Just 2 technology chapters i could think of :
1. Hunting
a) Reduce (Time to hunt bunnies)
b) Decrease the number of workers for deers, foxes and stags by 1.
c) Decrease the number of workers for Boars and Bears by half.
So by the end need:
1 worker for bunnies, deer and foxes.
2 for Boars and Stags.
3 for Bears. (Great increase in efficiency and appropriate as they are using firearms to hunt.)
2. Ranged Defenders
a) Add 1 ranged unit to each garrison spawned troops, max 2.
b) Add 1 ranged unit to each garrison spawned troops, max 4.
c) Add 1 ranged unit to each garrison spawned troops, max 6.
In regards to not allowing a balance between nations that have ranged units and the nations that have either cavalry or foot soldiers is to allow a tech which adds a ranged attacker to the garrison spawning. This will allow all nations to have their unique units spawned from defensive buildings.
I'm sure other players can come up with some other good ideas for technology as well.
Endril