• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
if you play paradox games for historical accuracy things like black ice are necessary otherwise it's just a map painter game
Problem is, BICE makes it "historically accurate" even when the situation is completely ahistorical. It gives you a historically accurate OOB and proper names for divisions and equipment, but puts the game on a set of rails which I find to be far too obvious and obtrusive. If I want 100% historical accuracy, I'll read a book on WWII, although I already know the ending. I prefer the approach taken by HPP, where it makes it harder to go off the rails, but handles it well if/when things don't go exactly as they did in reality.

I still play mostly vanilla, with occasional forays into Downfall, HPP, Fox & Lion, etc. I gave up on BICE because even though it has a lot of excellent individual features I like, I wasn't enjoying it.
 
  • 3
  • 1Like
Reactions:
I remember reading about a HoI3 mod in which you can select which version of a tech you'd prefer for a brigade (like making a faster version of armor with previous armor tech but also having the normal speed up to date one). I've been looking for it for some time but couldn't find which one that was. Maybe somebody on this thread can nudge me in the correct direction?
 
  • 1
Reactions:
Personally, i generaly play vanilla or the Downfall mod. I did a couple of Black Ice games but i find it to be a lot more complicated. Not saying it‘s bad at all, but i tink it changes the mecanic of the game a little too much for my taste. I can certainly say that i will come back to it eventually.

As for TRP and HPP, i played wit them a few times but it’s been a while and i would have to do it agaiin before i cold give an honest opinion. I even tried August Storm but it’s been even longer than those two.

My preference beside vanilla is Downfall. It keeps the feel of vanilla while making it a little bit harder. It also corrected some bugs that had been left there.

Tere you go with my two cents.
 
  • 2Like
Reactions:
I do. Even as many features feels kind of outdated and the UI is less than ideals, I prefer its slower pacing and its focus on organization & operational warfare.

The longest run I ever did with HoI 3 were with Black Ice (First Italy until somewhere like 1944) then Germany (I defeated the USSR in 1948). I believe it was on Black Ice 7.something. While I appreciate the crazy micro management induced by the mods, I do feel like too many features introduced by the mod team works against HoI 3 chore mechanics. So as of now I prefer to play on vanilla and just accept that not everything is realistic or balanced.

Eventually I am sure I am going to make a complete playthrough at least once on vanilla lol. Once I went pretty far with Germany (defeated the continental allies + Great Britain but I did not fight against the USSR).
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Actually, I can't say that I ever "finished" a HOI3 campaign. Once I've defeated the SU and UK, it gets increasingly tedious to manage and pacify all of the additional territory in the eastern SU, India, and all of the remote islands that you end up with, and which can't be released as puppets without also releasing the whole major country. I've fought against the US in a couple of campaigns, but essentially got tired of the world-wide micromanagement long before conquering them. Other campaigns, I'm constricted by the actions of a faction leader, and if they run themselves out of manpower or some resource early on, then the whole game goes sour in a hurry.

I still fire it up now and then to try some other country I haven't played yet, but I'm getting pretty close to "tapped out" with it.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
Actually, I can't say that I ever "finished" a HOI3 campaign. Once I've defeated the SU and UK, it gets increasingly tedious to manage and pacify all of the additional territory in the eastern SU, India, and all of the remote islands that you end up with, and which can't be released as puppets without also releasing the whole major country. I've fought against the US in a couple of campaigns, but essentially got tired of the world-wide micromanagement long before conquering them. Other campaigns, I'm constricted by the actions of a faction leader, and if they run themselves out of manpower or some resource early on, then the whole game goes sour in a hurry.

I still fire it up now and then to try some other country I haven't played yet, but I'm getting pretty close to "tapped out" with it.

I'd suggest you start modding it yourself. The amount of stuff you can do with the game once you learn (or simply read) how to add new countries (or even just units) is unbelievable. It can pretty much replace HoI4's focus tree.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
I'd suggest you start modding it yourself.
More like "continue" modding it. I've done a few fairly trivial changes to the files, but not recently, and nothing really in depth. For example, I did some tweaks to the air combat values to see if I could find some better balance between air-to-air combat and air-to-surface, since Defensiveness and Toughness are broken in air combat. I think it's an improvement, but not enough of one to pursue further. There are enough skilled modders that one more marginally-skilled modder probably isn't going to matter.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
More like "continue" modding it. I've done a few fairly trivial changes to the files, but not recently, and nothing really in depth. For example, I did some tweaks to the air combat values to see if I could find some better balance between air-to-air combat and air-to-surface, since Defensiveness and Toughness are broken in air combat. I think it's an improvement, but not enough of one to pursue further. There are enough skilled modders that one more marginally-skilled modder probably isn't going to matter.

Why wouldn't it matter? Mods don't need to be published, you can simply use them for personal enjoyment. My most fun campaign was one where I made the US nazi via spies, had an event where they join the Axis, beat the Allies and then had a massive three way cold-war between me (Germany), Japan and the US.
Creating your own paths for nations is a great way to keep the game fresh.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions:
I play vanilla. Now toying with mods. I like vanilla enough that I can keep playing it forever.

I play only vh as obviously with time we all get better. One thing that I would love to see if the VH didn't make enemy INT destroy mine no matter what I do..

Anyone here know how to make the combat efficency bonus for AI to NOT apply to the planes?
 
I play vanilla. Now toying with mods. I like vanilla enough that I can keep playing it forever.

I play only vh as obviously with time we all get better. One thing that I would love to see if the VH didn't make enemy INT destroy mine no matter what I do..

Anyone here know how to make the combat efficency bonus for AI to NOT apply to the planes?
All that is locked up in the exe and untouchable.
 
I play vanilla. Now toying with mods. I like vanilla enough that I can keep playing it forever.

I play only vh as obviously with time we all get better. One thing that I would love to see if the VH didn't make enemy INT destroy mine no matter what I do..

Anyone here know how to make the combat efficency bonus for AI to NOT apply to the planes?
Give yourself a decision along the lines of the UK's "Their Finest Hour" effect, lasting until the end of the timeline. That should balance out air combat to some degree.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: