I was hoping for something that would more realistically simulate the actual formation of divisions, and I am not talking about the administrative structure, either.
The way HoI games have always been is the player chooses to build a division, there's a "production" period, and when the specified amount of time is up, the player then gets to place the division anywhere he so chooses in the confines of his national provinces (assuming he has greater than 40 IC).
I cannot think of too many more unrealistic ways to represent division formation and deployment.
Literally every nation I can think of has the concept of military bases, forts, depots, etc. where divisions are based from. IMO, players should be limited to placing divisions only in those provinces that have military bases (similar to placing ships and air wings in provinces that have ports or airfields). And typically, there is a separate system of training depots or camps where new recruits are trained before they are sent on to active duty and assigned to the command structure.
I have always thought that the HoI system was a bit oversimplified. IRL,the formation of a new division from scratch is a gradual and somewhat lengthy process. The brass may decide to create a new division, and it may come into "administrative existence" fairly quickly, but to flesh it out and bring it into some semblence of a functioning military unit capable of deploying into action can be quite a lengthy process (assuming the new division is not formed by cannibalizing existing divisions...then it would be much quicker - I am talking about new divisions comprised mostly of new recruits that is simulated in the game). It takes time to get all of the recruits to the training depot or camp locations, put them through their paces and training, assign them to thier various MOs for additional training, and then integrate them into the existing command structure. And there is a very finite capacity to this process. A nation cannot simply decide one day that it is going to create 20 new divisions and have them "roll out" ready to go anywhere within the borders of their nation in under 6 months...even under full mobilization. If they did, the quality and organization of those troops would be questionable at best.
You need enough DIs, equipment, space, supplies, housing, etc. to train up large numbers of men at once. That's why I advocate the need for building military bases that can double as training depots/camps, and bases of operations. You can build new ones and slowly bring them "on-line" in the years leading up to war, and all new divisions would be required to begin their "life" at one of the bases and must be deployed from there (which would make TC all that much more important).
IRL, it takes a considerable amount of time to produce large quantities of troops and deploy them into the war. Even with the speediest of preparations, it can easily take up to a year or more to considerably increase the effective size of a nation's military. Divisions starting out at full strength nearly anywhere on the map in less than 6 months is almost laughable, yet with current game mechanics it is possible to go from nearly zero to dozens of new divisions ready to fight in about 6 months - poised at the perfect locations to embark and go sailing off into service wherever they may be needed. BS! I spent 5 years active duty in the USMC during wartime and have a pretty good idea of what it takes...and it's nothing like it is in the game.
I really wish developers would take a closer look at how divisions are practically formed and fleshed out, then activated and deployed. The overly simplistic approach to queuing up 10 to 20 divisions at a time and then, presto! 5 to 6 months later having those full strength divisions available anywhere in your nation's borders and ready to go is absolute BS! At least if you want to have anything resembling a division that is capable of entering combat and being anything close to effective.
And attempting to balance out the obviously questionable mechanics of formation and deployment by requiring the new division to slowly build up organization is ridiculous. Plopping them at the edge of your national boundaries as soon as their queue time is up and marching them off to the front while building up organization is not how it works. If that's how deployment is simulated, it is far from reality. Or at least the reality I experienced from 1989 until 1994.