Good country to start with as a new player?

[mursolini]

I don't see how you're reaching your conclusions.

1. Knowing how to run a business (even a pizzaria) would be a great skill to have going into any sort of start up.

Startup cycle is around 4 years, you will learn more relevant experience from failed startup.

1. If someone has never even seen a plane before then going up with someone else at the controls is a great way to start learning (and is 75% of peoples first lesson IRL - well, in NZ anyway)

It is "impressive" but not efficient. What are you supposed to learn, if you have no idea of what is supposed to happen when you get control?

Running a smaller minor/regional power will let people wrap their head around the basics and ground combat without placing too much focus on navy and airforce (which can come later).

Again, how are you supposed to learn that you did something wrong? And when did you do it? Minior state just doesn`t provide that kind of feedback, so you spend your play with minor basically learning interface. Something you probably can do in first peaceful years anyway.

 

[Wimpola]

Germany is probably the easiest nation to start with. As Germany you will learn the focus tree, building an army, attacking nations, and much more and the world really does revolve around you.

 

[Novatheorem]

What kind of feedback will a run with minor nation provide?

Lots of feedback honestly. I think that all of the lessons of the game engine besides coordinating fronts and having resources for the massive SSBBs and super-heavy tanks can be taught at a minor's level. Specifically, I think you can learn the following:

• Terrain's impact on troops without upgrades (you don't usually start with any specialized troop types)
• How to use and build infrastructure
• How a commander can sway a battle
• How to build a strong IC base (trial and error since you don't start with it)
• Small scale battle plans and how to coordinate them (a lesson I plan on learning with Hungary)
• Value of armor (if your opponent doesn't have it, it makes a huge difference)

The list goes on, but there is a ton of value in playing a minor as much as a major. There's also the value of exploring the generic NF tree, since it mostly has game balance items, and nothing meant to help fluff. For example - playing as France may give a false impression of how quickly doctrines can be applied and their impact since you have a penalty to those. Far better to learn the basics of the engine, then apply them in specific scenarios.

Again, how are you supposed to learn that you did something wrong? And when did you do it? Minior state just doesn`t provide that kind of feedback, so you spend your play with minor basically learning interface. Something you probably can do in first peaceful years anyway.

Simple: Compare yourself to the majors. If you're at war with another minor and struggling, you did something wrong. If you can't build enough troops to take Romania as Hungary, you did something wrong. There's a ton of feedback if you know how to understand it, and you don't get nearly as overwhelmed as you would failing to hold your western front against France because you forgot that you needed artillery added to those troops.

 

[Reta Sim]

I am new to the series aswell and decided to settle with Italy.
I am probably going to regret that.

 

[gadze83]

Like someone said, Brazil i think its a good choice for the first game, big and powerfull country in South America.

 

[Mic0603]

I think USA is the best country for beginner because far form Europe Conflict and around this country such far form great, you can abandon europe and focus japan only.

 

[evilcat]

I think USA is the best country for beginner because far form Europe Conflict and around this country such far form great, you can abandon europe and focus japan only.

Well, it could have two ends. Since US will build for most times which could be boring, and does not help to learn the game (warfare). Also it need to work with lend lease and supporting allies (or commies) which again could be complicated. Yet still a lot of responsibility. Operating on two fronts could be complicated.

 

[Bridger15]

If you are brand new it might be wise to start as a smaller land based power. France could be a good option because a) you know you're doomed anyway so you don't feel bad if you fail and b) you really can just focus on defense and learning the production system.

Italy would be a good second step (or first step for people who are confident) because it forces you to put more thought into naval matters.

 

[Cheesecakeczar]

Brazil because you're as far from the war as possible but large enough to make an impact. It's also fairly open ended and presents some potentially easy conquests. You can learn the basic systems without having to manage the largest industry, army, or navy in the world.

 

[tog34]

I honestly think Canada is a solid choice, you're not close to the war and you are right next to America. You can go Land,Navy and air with Canada which is awesome. It's what I'm going to do for my first game!

 

[77Hawk77]

OR: You could try and learn the features one by one instead of all at once. You dont learn to fly by flying a 747 first thing you do - you start whit a small Cessna and learn the basics...

I plan to play as sweden first so I can take it easy and learn and then join the war on whatever side seams good. Later, when I´m more ready I´ll go for Italy.

You will learn how to operate the UI and all that which is fine, and you'd probably do okay. But if you want to be a good player, as in really competitive, it won't help you much, you will take over norway and denmark perhaps, and to do so you'll require 0 grand planning or encirclements, no real air war, no supply interdiction, no strategic bombing.

And when you play a real country you'll have to learn about these things all over again, everything you think you were taught about tactics won't work anymore.
Playing a major like Germany will teach you what actually works, playing a minor will trick you into thinking that you've understood the tactics.

You have to do the things that are hard to really learn all the mechanics.

 

[petethecanuck]

Awesome info here guys thanks to everyone for taking the time to contribute your insights/advice. I think what I'm concerned about being "overwhelmed" with is the construction/production..

EU IV is pretty straight forward.. Stellaris is pretty straight forward and I'm sure HOI IV will be too.

As some have mentioned.. reading the DD and watching the streams is one thing.. but once you actually start playing and learning the UI etc etc then it all comes together!

Definitely going to start with the tutorial (Italy) first .. make heaps of mistakes.. learn.. restart. make heaps of mistakes.. learn. restart and have a blast doing so!

Loving the idea of playing Canada though and that will probably be the next nation I try.. for obvious reasons

cheers!

 

[Sleight of Hand]

@petethecanuck

Canada is certainly an interesting and fairly safe choice, as is Australia so long as the Japanese AI doesn't get too lucky. In either case you can benefit from the UK's National Focus tree, which includes options that provide free factories (for you) and improved relations with the UK.

Another interesting choice is Turkey, which has multiple choices in terms of how it can expand, and as a Non-Aligned former great power you have a free reign in which path you wish to follow. You could either build up internally and form your own alliance, or join any of the three main starting factions -- whichever route you go, you should have plenty of opportunities for land-grabbing.

 

[Xyrael]

There's a number of countries good for beginnings, here's my own list and reasoning:

1) Italy - Everyone's favorite. You're a major sidekick to the main belligerent, have abundant opportunities for extremely important contributions, but your bumbling noobiness won't see the war entirely lost. You have an early war to get your feet wet, and opportunities for land, sea and air campaigns.
2) Japan - Similar to Italy, you start with an ability to launch an early war, only this one will be more challenging. Likewise, you have opportunities for land campaigns early on, and then intense naval and air campaigns later - along with ground campaigns against the Soviets if you desire. Very challenging opponents can make this start scenario a real challenge, and really plunge your feet into the game. Psychological studies show that people feel most rewarded by working for their accomplishments rather than getting them on a silver plate.
3) USA - Great opportunity to work on construction and absolutely customize your military as you build up for war. You can jump in on whatever side you want, are not railroaded into any outcome, and will be the deciding factor in any war. A strong navy means you have no threat of a war on your own soil, so you can try & fail, then try & succeed at overseas invasions.
4) Turkey - A great way to explore playing as a minor. You're strategically located on the USSR's southern front, near Iran and Romania, and can secure much resources. You're positioned on the Mediterranean and can help secure it for the Allies, Axis, or Comintern. Strong industry will help you concentrate on 2 out of 3 of the land/sea/air forces.
5) Germany - What? But, Germany is hard. So? Don't be scared, put yourself in the cockpit - Germany is an absurdly strong nation with ridiculously powerful focuses that give you opportunities to not only follow the historical route, but a potentially more successful diplomatic route which will allow you to build a stronger navy and seriously present a challenge to the UK and US.
6) Nationalist China - Go hard or go home. Nationalist China will be for the people that don't want to read the IKEA instruction manual. Nat China begins weak, but through events and focuses can become strong. Nat China is destined to lose, so your game may be short, and you might not win - but winning isn't learning. If you do win, you're ready for anything. You begin with an oversized military, plenty of rival warlord factions, and a imminent civil war - but you use focuses to mitigate these threats, unify China, and double your resources and industry, with the faint hope of becoming strong enough to hold on and eventually become more powerful than Japan. Nationalist China teaches you to make important and difficult decisions under pressure and time constraints.

 

[JerkyJerry]

I would say that the USA would be the best for a newcomer. With the USA you can afford to make a few mistakes and bounce back from those mistakes. You have time to get the ins and outs of the game as (traditionally) the USA won't begin to battle until 1942. So I think it would be a good jumping off point.

 

[inteljoe]

1) As Japan, invade California.
2) As Poland, defend against Germany.
3) As USA, turn fascist and take over world.
4) As Germany, turn democratic and sing kumbaya.
5) As USSR, Invade UK and have tea with the King/Queen.
6) As USA, turn communist and take over the world.
7) As USSR, turn democratic and befriend US, no cold war.

 

[mursolini]

Lots of feedback honestly. I think that all of the lessons of the game engine besides coordinating fronts and having resources for the massive SSBBs and super-heavy tanks can be taught at a minor's level. Specifically, I think you can learn the following:

• Terrain's impact on troops without upgrades (you don't usually start with any specialized troop types)
• How to use and build infrastructure
• How a commander can sway a battle
• How to build a strong IC base (trial and error since you don't start with it)
• Small scale battle plans and how to coordinate them (a lesson I plan on learning with Hungary)
• Value of armor (if your opponent doesn't have it, it makes a huge difference)

The list goes on, but there is a ton of value in playing a minor as much as a major. There's also the value of exploring the generic NF tree, since it mostly has game balance items, and nothing meant to help fluff. For example - playing as France may give a false impression of how quickly doctrines can be applied and their impact since you have a penalty to those. Far better to learn the basics of the engine, then apply them in specific scenarios.

• You will learn after the fact, and chainging up would probably be too late, while major can not only allow you to play with slightly suboptimal compostions, but try different trpes of units and composition at once, and see how effective each is at glance, without having to restart a campaign and wait probably hours.
• There are 2-3 years of peace with Germany, plenty of time to learn interface. And a minor may not see the impact anyway, due to small size of an army. Easiest way to see infra impact is probably observe how your eastern front is doing.
• You will learn that during your first invasion anyway.
• Building a "strong IC base" with next to no civilian factories and no factory slots? If what I see in WW2 wensday is close to correct, a monor gets a choice to build 4-6 factories pre-war, at best, not counting focuses.
• Your armor building capacity will be so minimal, you will gain almost nothing aside from: "existance of armor is good"

None of this justifies sinking hours into tutorial run with small country, really.

Simple: Compare yourself to the majors. If you're at war with another minor and struggling, you did something wrong. If you can't build enough troops to take Romania as Hungary, you did something wrong. There's a ton of feedback if you know how to understand it, and you don't get nearly as overwhelmed as you would failing to hold your western front against France because you forgot that you needed artillery added to those troops.

But do you really know what outcome of the war is a "good" outcome?
Can you build enough troops to take Romania as Hungary in the first place?
You need to have expirience in game to understand IF your first game as minor IS going as good as it can, or you made a grave mistake.

Think about it, as Germany, you can literally build 2-4 different infantry divisions templates, 2-3 armor divisions templates and see how effective they are against the same enemy line, under same conditions. As minor, it is far harder and takes far more time to build up a different composition. As minor, you don`t know how good is the outcome of your expected invasion, as major, you do know what you should achieve if you do well. Since you do know what should be the outcome, it is much easier to see if you`re wrong.

Don`t go for strawmen. If your front against France is collapsing due to lack of artillery, you may still try to salvage the game by putting huge amount of factories and holding the line. If you`re in the same situation as minor, you wil have to spend another run to test, IF your problem was lack of artillery, since you wont have the capacity to build loads of artillery as minor, if you don`t start it right away.

 

[Scout37]

I know that after the Italy tutorial my first real campaign will be as Brazil, since now the U.S. won't stop wars between south american nations.

I was going through the stats for every state as listed on the wiki, and they have a decent number of Civilian factories to build up with, and for neighbors you're friendly Venezuelan oil fields are ripe for the taking, and for more factories Argentina is a decent place to visit. If I can snatch Cuba before the U.S. gets its feathers rustled I can control the chromium to get more factories to help with industrializing. I'd love to turn S.A. into my personal fortress and then prepare to march north and try pay ol' Uncle Sam a visit

 

[defy]

In our first MP game with a friend, I'm thinking about both starting with Germany (coop). What do you guys think? Good for learning or not?

 

[Murkk]

Hi folks. I'm new to the HOI series and am excited to dive into it next week. I'm caught up reading the dev diaries and been watching the Wednesday twitch streams the past few months.

I'm wondering though, as a newbie (I'm a pretty average player in EU IV and Stellaris), what would be a good country to start off with as to not get too overwhelmed.

Thanks for any tips/advice!

cheers

France is hands down the best to start with. It's fairly easy to figure out and you can quit fairly early and try another game. Pretty straight forward strategy wise as well.