Hearts of Iron IV

Hearts of Iron IV is a strategy game about World War II. You lead a nation from 1936 or 1939 and decide how it builds its economy, which alliances it forms and where it deploys its armed forces.

The world map links political decisions with production, supply, research and fronts on land, at sea and in the air. Historical alliances are possible but not required: national decisions can fundamentally change how the war unfolds.

Hearts of Iron IV was released for PC on June 6, 2016. Paradox Development Studio developed the game, and Paradox Interactive published it.

Windows, macOS and Linux are also part of the PC version. The expansions released over the years add to the strategic scope but do not replace the standalone base game.

Hearts of Iron IV is a PC game for Windows, macOS and Linux. A standalone native console version has not been announced.

You can play a campaign alone or with others. For online games, Paradox lists up to 32 players, who can control nations together or against each other.

In Hearts of Iron IV you control entire war fronts instead of individual soldiers. Armies get attack and defense lines, air wings are assigned to regions and fleets secure sea lanes.

At the same time, terrain, weather, supply and industrial capacity determine whether a planned offensive can be sustained. Simply adding units at the front without equipping and supplying them quickly runs into limits.

Hearts of Iron IV has been expanded with additional country paths and strategic systems. Arms Against Tyranny deepens the Nordic countries and arms production. Götterdämmerung reworks Germany, among other things, and adds special research projects.

No Compromise, No Surrender expands especially the political and military options in the Pacific region. The packs complement the base game and are not equivalent to standalone sequels.

For Windows, Steam lists at least 4 GB RAM and 2 GB free storage. Processors listed include the Intel Core i5-750 or AMD FX-4300, among others. For graphics cards, the store lists examples such as a GeForce GTX 470 or Radeon HD 5850.

Recommended: 6 GB RAM and around an Intel Core i5-2500K or Ryzen 3 2200G. Windows, macOS and Linux share the PC platform, but have different OS requirements.

Factories supply equipment for your forces. You decide how many production lines make weapons, vehicles, aircraft and ships. Military and civilian factories compete for a country's economic resources.

Supply routes, infrastructure and transport capacity determine how much material actually reaches the front. A long campaign therefore requires expanding industry and logistics as well as military decisions.

Divisions can be assembled from different battalions and support units. Infantry, tanks, artillery and other unit types serve different roles. Their equipment and organization affect their effectiveness at the front.

Attack plans help with large-scale operations. Individual formations can also be commanded directly when an opportunity arises at a decisive sector.

Political decisions can change historical alliances. States develop their ideology, form relationships, justify wars and decide whether to join alliances or follow their own path.

A game can therefore follow the historical course or deviate significantly from it. Which options are available depends on the chosen nation and the decisions of other countries.

National focus trees determine political and economic development paths. They open choices for diplomacy, industry and military goals. Not every nation starts with the same options.

Research advances include infantry weapons, tanks, aviation, navy and industrial processes, among others. The choice between short-term rearmament and long-term technology shapes your strategy.

Air superiority, sea links and land forces work together. Aircraft can support ground troops and intercept enemy formations. Fleets protect transports, block trade routes and enable landings.

Especially in wars across several continents, building supply routes decides whether a successful advance can be continued.

Up to 32 people can join an online game, according to Paradox. They can split across different nations or jointly run one country.

Multiplayer games use the same global simulation as single-player campaigns. Since politics, production and warfare run at the same time, large groups need shared agreements.

Mods can change the political map, countries, rules and the scope of a campaign. On PC, the Steam Workshop is available, among other options.

Modding options range from minor tweaks to extensive alternate worlds. Such community-made content is separate from the official expansions.