The Ultimate Winning Guide to HOI4

Hearts of Iron 4 against ai is a very simple game and I will guide you to greatness you would never have thought possible.

To begin play a country, I will demonstrate with the Soviet Union but these tactics can be applied broadly to the game as a whole. Build orange factory first year or two before switching to the green factory. This can change depending on when you want to go to war so use your brain to determine when to switch.


Early in the game put green factories on primarily infantry related equipment (guns, support equipment, artillery, anti-air, and if you face another human, anti-tank) this should also include some trucks and trains as well as a small production of light tanks. Early game air frames and tanks are pretty much useless but of course if you and all your hubris wish to deviate from the golden path be my guest, you may even still be able to win but I doubt it...


Tanks- Important research you should do is artillery (its one tier earlier in anti-tank tree for multiplayer purposes), for the second tier tank gun, in conjunction with the second tier medium or heavy tank of you choice (if you play a tiny nothing-burger nation light tanks will do). Tank radios in the electronics tree, and build a land warfare facility to research flame tanks and armored support vehicles. These steps are essential if you wish to win with tanks. When you start having a lot of green factories you should put a lot of your factories on these tanks. You should also research mechanized as they are stronger than motorized. Build something like this.


Air- I did not build a single plane until 1941 with the most modern tech, this step is optional but I will not be imparting you with any knowledge of the air war in this guide because I wouldn't want you winning to hard...


Navy- My lawyer is advising me that I have no comments to say about the Navy in this game...

Economy- Production cap is essential for producing more equipment than your enemy so get production tool tech. Dispersed industry is good if you care about losing production efficiency when you swap a line with newer tech. I don't, So I pick concentrated.

General- Pick things that sound good and aren't nothing burgers like navy tech...

Your tank division is the primary pushing power of your army, your infantry are human meat walls ready to sacrifice their lives for your glorious machinations so use them as such.

Your tank template should like something like this
To understand why this is best you must understand the combat width system and the overstacking penalty, as well as the combat modifiers flame tanks and armored assault engineer companies bring to the division, so get on that...

If you somehow manage to find yourself in a multiplayer lobby you should replace the 2 tanks battalions on the right with tank destroyers.

Your infantry could look something like this
They exist to block the enemy from overrunning your country so don't try and get fancy. If you want to build special forces, good for you.


If you want to perform winning at a high level you should be grinding a general with tanks or cavalry to get the Cav or Panzer leader to increase stats on tanks or mechanized. If you can send volunteers to a war you should. While there you should also focus on attacking available city and forest tiles to gain 2 terrain traits (adaptable being the goal so other terrain will suffice), a bonus if you attack across a river to gain engineer. You may also get organizer (use a front line with immobile cohesion) and if your lucky trickster. I am good so I am able to get most of these before the war creating a buffed general.


This game operates on modifiers so just stack more and you will win...


Now every great master still makes mistakes and I did not change my main doctrine to mobile warfare for greater tank effect... This just makes me that much more of a winner.

At this point in the game you might have a little war coming up, if you have followed the previous steps to sufficiently competent levels this should be no big deal.


I, a highly qualified winner, see merit in building a few levels of forts if you know you will be defending as well as AA guns to shoot down enemy bombers. However I will grant you a pass to skip out this time if you have learned nothing. I also recommend having reserve divisions placed immediately behind the line as well as a few in defensive fallback areas if you somehow manage to lose.

Often times there are LOSERS who complain about the supply system in this game. My strategy is simple, I build level 5 railroads as well as additional supply hubs because I have the winners mindset. The sooner you adopt this mindset the further you will go.

My Frontline looked something like this

After the ai has gassed out and lost millions of men taking a single tile it is time to begin Operation Stalin's Fury. Using the tanks break the German lines, bonus if you get planning bonus...









Just drive your tanks around them bro...


If you have followed all the steps correctly, in your unique situation not withstanding, I am proud to have you stand by myside in the winner's circle. Congratulations on becoming a winner in HOI4!


Given that I am winner I did not stop there...

Simply paradrop Japan like this