Well, a "battle or two" is hardly quite powerful.
Red Cloud fought the US to a near draw in the Black Hills and got a decent peace, and, of course, Custer made an ass out of himself, but for the most part the natives had sporadic successes in a long series of losses. Geronimo's "victories" were mostly in managed retreats, as were native "successes" in the Nez Perce wars.
In Africa, the Zulu victory at Islandlwhana was pretty much a one-off thing. Occasionally Europeans would stumble into ambushes, and natives with rifles could be dangerous.
I do agree that EU2 had a curious divide between native superstates and mere nuisances. I suspect that Victoria's "claim" system will allow the native peoples some measure of freedom while always being under threat.
Red Cloud fought the US to a near draw in the Black Hills and got a decent peace, and, of course, Custer made an ass out of himself, but for the most part the natives had sporadic successes in a long series of losses. Geronimo's "victories" were mostly in managed retreats, as were native "successes" in the Nez Perce wars.
In Africa, the Zulu victory at Islandlwhana was pretty much a one-off thing. Occasionally Europeans would stumble into ambushes, and natives with rifles could be dangerous.
I do agree that EU2 had a curious divide between native superstates and mere nuisances. I suspect that Victoria's "claim" system will allow the native peoples some measure of freedom while always being under threat.