HoI4 Dev Teasers (previously Podcat's Twitter Teasers)

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Agreed entirely.

I've argued against this idea of a module system for tanks for a long time. So many reasons this isn't a good addition at all.

Tanks aren't individual entities like ships are. They're just battalions in a division that is a mere aggregate of stats... a module system would just play around with the average numbers for armor division stats but actually bring no new gameplay to the table while introducing tech bloat and micromanagement headaches with more buttons to press.

Can't see how this could at all be a good addition without RADICAL changes to the combat system where individual tanks are modelled in combat. Needless to say, the chances of this happen are close to nil. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong, but I'd be quite surprised if I am.

While the naval combat rework was itself good, the ship designer/module system felt like a definite step back. Just added needless complexity while adding so much tech bloat that for most countries you'd never even get to use any of it. HOI4: the game where it is easier for Australia to research(and produce!) nuclear bombs than to design a modern destroyer(and forget about even having cruisers at all!).
I think the devs have said something along the lines of wanting to make template-diversity a bigger thing. Whatever that means could potentially make tank variants more relevant.

But I'd have to disagree that it would just be bloat and no gameplay. For instance, they could remove the variants and instead just allow us to mount whatever guns we already have researched, adding up to ~30 techs less. And for gameplay, look at Imperator: Rome. In that game troops can build roads, so seeing as this update/DLC is about supply, maybe we'll get vehicles like bridge-layers and bulldozers that help with construction/repair where they're stationed?
 
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Honestly, I don't like the idea of a tank designer. Ideally, this would lead to different nations being able to have different stats for the same tier of tank, better differentiating a Panther from a T-44. In practice, it will mean that all players build the best tank designs depending on whatever the emergent meta becomes(so functionally the same as it is now in MP). Meanwhile the AI will build garbage variants that can't compete with an optimal player tank, let alone division template, so singleplayer becomes even more of a stomp-the-ai than it already is.
 
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I slightly more hopeful for tank designer because unlike ships, refitting tanks will hopefully be easier - you can just set a production line to produce the new variant of tanks and it should automatically retire and replace old tanks. And in theory using the current variant equipment conversion system, you can turn outdated tanks into a more updated model.

What I'm hoping for is for the devs to implement what some mods (I know Kaiserreich does it) do which is make foreign equipment convertible into your models. Makes getting rid of captured equipment way easier and efficient
 
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There will be special models for certain nations like Mtg with the naval designer, for example the British will have their own model like the infantry tank like historically Matlida II or also an exclusive version of an early light tank like the t 26 that had guns in front of the most common that had machine guns like the Panzer I
 
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The developers have experience from the naval designer now and it would not surprise me that a possible tank designer, or any other kind of designer, would benefit from it. We will know more tomorrow.
 
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Omg I love the idea of a tank designer I was waiting for him since they announced with the naval designer we will finally see a more realistic respect of the tanks
 
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Honestly, I don't like the idea of a tank designer. Ideally, this would lead to different nations being able to have different stats for the same tier of tank, better differentiating a Panther from a T-44. In practice, it will mean that all players build the best tank designs depending on whatever the emergent meta becomes(so functionally the same as it is now in MP). Meanwhile the AI will build garbage variants that can't compete with an optimal player tank, let alone division template, so singleplayer becomes even more of a stomp-the-ai than it already is.

Eh, hopefully and possibly the "best tank" will depend on strategic situation and other concerns, so it will at least differ between countries. AI using garbage templates is a bad design decision issue of its own, and could easily be fixed if Paraox wanted to (or is easily fixed with mods, which you'd already need to use anyway to address the unit template and ship template issues, so...)
 
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Honestly, I don't like the idea of a tank designer. Ideally, this would lead to different nations being able to have different stats for the same tier of tank, better differentiating a Panther from a T-44. In practice, it will mean that all players build the best tank designs depending on whatever the emergent meta becomes(so functionally the same as it is now in MP). Meanwhile the AI will build garbage variants that can't compete with an optimal player tank, let alone division template, so singleplayer becomes even more of a stomp-the-ai than it already is.
It could have potential if it interacts with design companies and/or doctrines.
That way, the meta could end up being more country related rather than standardized over the whole game.
 
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I'll still hope it's a designer company overhaul where you must spend time and civilian factories (or get help from ally) to upgrade your manufacturing capabilities, so you don't manufacture tanks as a country that never had any, or have anyone produce more ships than UK or US, or more tanks than US or Soviets. Cast vs rolled, riveted vs welded isn't a choice, it's something you just have to put up with or heavily invest in to change.
 
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One of the main technologies that held back aircraft, tanks, and even ship designs was the powerplant. Engines just did not exist that could reliably move 40 to 60 tons of tank around in the 1930's. Even late in the war, the powerplants used had very limited life. I think the Panther tank engine only lasted 2,000km on average? Pushing powerplants to the maximum made tanks very attritional in game terms. Still powerplant practical knowledge exploded during the war. It is why tanks and aircraft were outclassed so quickly.
 
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I am gonna build a IFV on a King Tiger chasis armed with 2x 20mm Flak canons....
But in all seriousness, it can be great, if:

- The AI can use it, best solution would be fixed design strategies more or less

- it gives the player more freedom, Mechanized transports were often based on tanks, some tanks don't fit in the current system like Stugs which were often used like regular tanks but in game they have to be SPA or anti tank.

PS: it could be the Italian Focus tree and this is a negative effect affecting Italian tanks
 
I just hope that the devs learned from their mistakes with the ship designer and I hope that once they are done with the current DLC they will try to improve the ship designer. It is simply so confusing and the 3453535 items to research just make it impossible to try out most options.
 
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To all those excited for a possible tank designer in the dev diary, this is going to be pretty sweet :) To all those who are not excited for a possible tank designer in the dev diary, look on the bright side: there's no part three to the Polish focus tree ;)
 
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Hopefully guns interact with the Artillery tab somehow, always found it odd how you could have an amazing Tank Gun without ever touching the Artillery and AT Gun technologies or how they didn't even affect SPGs/TDs

If I'm allowed to dream, some overall research rework too.
 
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AI using garbage templates is a bad design decision issue of its own, and could easily be fixed if Paraox wanted to (or is easily fixed with mods, which you'd already need to use anyway to address the unit template and ship template issues, so...)
Which mods (other than Kaiserreich) address the unit template issues?
 
I just wish this doesn't turn into the double tech & equipment & variant & OOB modding nightmare as well as maintenance blackhole like MtG turned out to be. Non-MtG stats have been found to be broken by the time 1.6.2 came out and they are *still* not fixed to this day.
 
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