This was incorporated to give the lesser powers and pretty much anyone other than the Unites States a chance of getting something useful during game play
Did the cost of the tech researchers change?
If not, then how are you giving lesser powers a chance at getting something useful?
Are you saying that now all the techs are useful to everyone?
That’s certainly not true.
Plus now I can’t even target a grouping. it’s TOTALLY random what technology I will achieve. How does that meet your stated goal of ‘increasing the chance of getting something useful’?