Now that there are many sales going on with PDS games, what are some of the most-needed DLC for Hearts of Iron IV? My main PDS game is CKII, but own Hearts of Iron IV and would like to get into it.
Hearts of Iron IV - DLC
- Thread starter Cottondog
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Waking the Tiger adds a bunch of UI/UX changes to the base game as well as events that go beyond the theme of the DLC -- China. (It also makes China more playable.) I would get that. Personally, I wouldn't play HOI4 without WTT.
Together for Victory changes Commonwealth countries quite a bit. If you like UK and such, I would get that. Personally, I find TFV optional.
Man the Gun brings quite a few naval changes. If you like naval stuffs, get that. I find MTG optional too but I like ships so to me MTG is a must.
la Resistance seems pointless to me. It seems a bad theme to work on for an expansion.
And actually, mods are quite essential to a good HOI4 experience after perhaps the initial playthrough. You can also consult some mods to see what the best / your fav mods require. In any case, I'd grab WTT if it's on sale. I think TFV and MTG are worthwhile if on good sale. I wouldn't bother with la Resistance. I'd grade HOI4 lower as a game with la Resistance tbh.
Together for Victory changes Commonwealth countries quite a bit. If you like UK and such, I would get that. Personally, I find TFV optional.
Man the Gun brings quite a few naval changes. If you like naval stuffs, get that. I find MTG optional too but I like ships so to me MTG is a must.
la Resistance seems pointless to me. It seems a bad theme to work on for an expansion.
And actually, mods are quite essential to a good HOI4 experience after perhaps the initial playthrough. You can also consult some mods to see what the best / your fav mods require. In any case, I'd grab WTT if it's on sale. I think TFV and MTG are worthwhile if on good sale. I wouldn't bother with la Resistance. I'd grade HOI4 lower as a game with la Resistance tbh.
I don't think there is an objectively better DLC, it depends on what you like the most:
Would you like to try Canada, South Africa, India, Australia and New Zeeland; either help the war effort or fight the British? 1st DLC. Together for Victory.
It also adds an autonomy system, so you could try playing as Manchucko and break free from Japan.
Would you like to play as a minor nation trapped between Germany and USSR, fighting for survival? More specifically: Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia? 2nd DLC. Death or Dishonor.
This DLC makes for some amazing coop games, with 2 or 3 players playing minor nations trapped between the Axis and the communists.
Would you like to explore the asian part of the conflict and/or to play as imperial or democratic Germany? Then 3rd DLC Waking the Tiger is for you.
Without this DLC the asian part of the conflict is rather dull and you can't go alternative ways with Germany.
Do you like naval combat or would like to have a lot more options to play with: USA, England, Mexic or Netherlands? Then 4th DLC Man the Guns.
The focus tress in the 4th DLC are huge. Only Walking the Tiger's Germany has a focus tree as big as that of these nations. Where as the 1st and 2nd DLCs have focus trees as big as that of Italy and USSR. And the rest of Waking the Tiger focus trees are somewhere in between, not as big as 4th but not as small as 1st or 2nd.
Personally I recommend the 3rd DLC. You can still enjoy the European front without DLC, but the Asian front is rather dull without the 3rd DLC. And you get to kill the nazi as Germany.
After that I suggest to take the 4th DLC even if you don't like naval combat that much, because the focus trees of USA, England, Mexico and Netherlands are simply huge.
I don't have the 5th DLC so I can't tell.
Would you like to try Canada, South Africa, India, Australia and New Zeeland; either help the war effort or fight the British? 1st DLC. Together for Victory.
It also adds an autonomy system, so you could try playing as Manchucko and break free from Japan.
Would you like to play as a minor nation trapped between Germany and USSR, fighting for survival? More specifically: Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia? 2nd DLC. Death or Dishonor.
This DLC makes for some amazing coop games, with 2 or 3 players playing minor nations trapped between the Axis and the communists.
Would you like to explore the asian part of the conflict and/or to play as imperial or democratic Germany? Then 3rd DLC Waking the Tiger is for you.
Without this DLC the asian part of the conflict is rather dull and you can't go alternative ways with Germany.
Do you like naval combat or would like to have a lot more options to play with: USA, England, Mexic or Netherlands? Then 4th DLC Man the Guns.
The focus tress in the 4th DLC are huge. Only Walking the Tiger's Germany has a focus tree as big as that of these nations. Where as the 1st and 2nd DLCs have focus trees as big as that of Italy and USSR. And the rest of Waking the Tiger focus trees are somewhere in between, not as big as 4th but not as small as 1st or 2nd.
Personally I recommend the 3rd DLC. You can still enjoy the European front without DLC, but the Asian front is rather dull without the 3rd DLC. And you get to kill the nazi as Germany.
After that I suggest to take the 4th DLC even if you don't like naval combat that much, because the focus trees of USA, England, Mexico and Netherlands are simply huge.
I don't have the 5th DLC so I can't tell.
Just grab all of them if you can to make things simple, though la resistance and death or dishonor are probably the ones you need the least since you can live without spies and lend lease. It's best with all of them though.
My opinion on the DLCs
DLCs with Focus Trees:
1.) Together for Victory - has the weakest focus trees and a lot of the countries are relatively small/far from the conflict like Canada and NZ and South Africa. India and Australia are close enough to the conflict and have resources, but the devs hadn't gotten much experience building trees yet so honestly they aren't that good. However, the autonomy system is worthwhile, as is lendlease. I'd say get the DLC to round out any others you might get or in a bundle.
2.) Poland United and Ready - Free
3.) Death or Dishonor - I actually really enjoyed this content pack, even if it's not amazing and the trees are still visibly one of their first ones they made. Licensing isn't all that worth it nor is equipment conversion. The fascist puppet system is only okay. But the trees have decent synergy (unlike Together for Victory) and each country has a moderately fun alt history path. I'd say Hungary, Romania and Czech basically carry the expansion - Yugoslavia's tree is pretty bad. Since Death or Dishonor is fairly cheap (5 dollars on sale), it's probably the best value for your dollar
4.) Waking the Tiger - first one to rework majors (Japan and Germany and arguably China) and also includes the Chinese warlords + Manchukuo. This expansion also includes stuff like attaches and general traits. It greatly improves the China front and I think is the most worth it DLC.
5.) Man the Guns - Reworks Britain and USA, along with Mexico and Netherlands. Britain has a good tree imo, and I find the other three also fairly enjoyable. The big mechanical additions - reworking naval wasn't my cup of tea though I did find government in exile mechanics interesting. Buy this if you are interested in the countries or really into naval warfare
6.) La Resistance - I actually enjoyed this one though I don't think it adds as much to the game as WTT. Spies are useful but can be ignored, and the collaborationist government stuff is mostly just flavor. Resistance and Collaboration is thankfully free with the patch but you do get more tools to deal with them with this DLC. The Spanish civil war does get reworked in this one - and that's something you might find worthwhile. Also having alt trees for France at least help balance out some of the alt history paths to a certain degree.
DLCs for just cosmetics
7.) Music mod - I enjoy the songs, not much more to add
8.) Axis Armor Pack - I found these enjoyable, wouldn't buy it before one of the focus tree dlcs
9.) allied armor pack - ^
10.) Speeches pack - haven't tried it out yet
11.) Sabaton - I don't like Sabaton all that much for HOI4 (I prefer the orchestra music with no singing) but it does add a few extra songs to help spice up your playlist
I'd say based off their prices I'd reconmend
1.) Waking the Tiger
2.) DoD
3.) MTG
4.) LaR
5.) TfV
DLCs with Focus Trees:
1.) Together for Victory - has the weakest focus trees and a lot of the countries are relatively small/far from the conflict like Canada and NZ and South Africa. India and Australia are close enough to the conflict and have resources, but the devs hadn't gotten much experience building trees yet so honestly they aren't that good. However, the autonomy system is worthwhile, as is lendlease. I'd say get the DLC to round out any others you might get or in a bundle.
2.) Poland United and Ready - Free
3.) Death or Dishonor - I actually really enjoyed this content pack, even if it's not amazing and the trees are still visibly one of their first ones they made. Licensing isn't all that worth it nor is equipment conversion. The fascist puppet system is only okay. But the trees have decent synergy (unlike Together for Victory) and each country has a moderately fun alt history path. I'd say Hungary, Romania and Czech basically carry the expansion - Yugoslavia's tree is pretty bad. Since Death or Dishonor is fairly cheap (5 dollars on sale), it's probably the best value for your dollar
4.) Waking the Tiger - first one to rework majors (Japan and Germany and arguably China) and also includes the Chinese warlords + Manchukuo. This expansion also includes stuff like attaches and general traits. It greatly improves the China front and I think is the most worth it DLC.
5.) Man the Guns - Reworks Britain and USA, along with Mexico and Netherlands. Britain has a good tree imo, and I find the other three also fairly enjoyable. The big mechanical additions - reworking naval wasn't my cup of tea though I did find government in exile mechanics interesting. Buy this if you are interested in the countries or really into naval warfare
6.) La Resistance - I actually enjoyed this one though I don't think it adds as much to the game as WTT. Spies are useful but can be ignored, and the collaborationist government stuff is mostly just flavor. Resistance and Collaboration is thankfully free with the patch but you do get more tools to deal with them with this DLC. The Spanish civil war does get reworked in this one - and that's something you might find worthwhile. Also having alt trees for France at least help balance out some of the alt history paths to a certain degree.
DLCs for just cosmetics
7.) Music mod - I enjoy the songs, not much more to add
8.) Axis Armor Pack - I found these enjoyable, wouldn't buy it before one of the focus tree dlcs
9.) allied armor pack - ^
10.) Speeches pack - haven't tried it out yet
11.) Sabaton - I don't like Sabaton all that much for HOI4 (I prefer the orchestra music with no singing) but it does add a few extra songs to help spice up your playlist
I'd say based off their prices I'd reconmend
1.) Waking the Tiger
2.) DoD
3.) MTG
4.) LaR
5.) TfV
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Browse the HOI4 wiki for a quick overview:
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