Playing through... WW1 to WW2

[Snozzle91]

Hello!!!

Unlikely as it may be (I assume it is quite hard for devs), I wonder whether HOI4 will allow players to play past the end of WW1... Anyone?

Also, should this not be possible, what will be the playable scenarios dates? ...Personally I dont like to dive right into the thick of it, I'd much rather preper my country years in advance.

Thank you

 

[xtfoster]

Hello!!!

Unlikely as it may be (I assume it is quite hard for devs), I wonder whether HOI4 will allow players to play past the end of WW1... Anyone?

Also, should this not be possible, what will be the playable scenarios dates? ...Personally I dont like to dive right into the thick of it, I'd much rather preper my country years in advance.

Thank you

It is highly unlikely that HOI4 (as shipped) will allow the player to play WWI at all. The likely earliest start date is probably the same as all the other PDS HOI games: 1 JAN 1936. There will probably be attempts to mod a WWI campaign made as soon as possible, but with the same likely results: A game designed for the fluid warfare of WWII will simply not do a very good job simulating the static warfare of WWI (or the Cold War Period either).

 

[Dalwin]

I think the closest you are likely to see (I am not a fan of these by the way) is a Victoria to HOI converter that lets you take your position, supposedly at the end of WWI and use it as the starting point for HOI.

 

[master_templar]

It is highly unlikely that HOI4 (as shipped) will allow the player to play WWI at all. The likely earliest start date is probably the same as all the other PDS HOI games: 1 JAN 1936. There will probably be attempts to mod a WWI campaign made as soon as possible, but with the same likely results: A game designed for the fluid warfare of WWII will simply not do a very good job simulating the static warfare of WWI (or the Cold War Period either).

To be fair I think that the hoi3 WW1 mod did a great job, the problem is that the static warfare of WW1 is just not that interesting as a game

 

[jju_57]

Never going to happen since it either has to be extremely scripted to reflect history or it will never result in WW2. HOI4 is billed as a WW2 game so there has to be a WW2 in there somewhere.

There were many mods that tried this for HOI3 but none were any good.
EDIT: to clarify mods that started from around 1918 or 1920.

 

[Dalwin]

To make WWI interesting you really need to focus on some things that HOI does not. Like ammunition supplies for the artillery, for example.

WWI was also for the most part a lot less about overrunning and conquering your opponents than WWII was. WWI was more about making your opponents want to stop fighting, i.e. breaking their ability to continue even though the front has not moved significantly for years.

I don't see a liklihood of any game system, HOI included, ever doing a very good job of portraying both WWI and WWII as a single campaign.

 

[Snozzle91]

My only quarrel is that starting dates too close to WW2 (1936, would be just that for me) make countries other than Germany, USA & England, close to unplayable (ok, I am exagerating, but I hope you get the point).

 

[Dalwin]

Maybe if you elaborated on what about a 1936 start date makes certain countries unplayable, I would understand your point better. Do both Italy and Russia count as playable? ( I know you didn't intend the above list to be all inclusive).

Is it mainly minors that you are considering like Romania, Spain or Turkey?

 

[the cool guy]

Maybe if you elaborated on what about a 1936 start date makes certain countries unplayable, I would understand your point better. Do both Italy and Russia count as playable? ( I know you didn't intend the above list to be all inclusive).

Is it mainly minors that you are considering like Romania, Spain or Turkey?

I assume he meant that the resources would have been spent on the WW1 scenario. But i'm really not sure.

 

[Snozzle91]

Maybe if you elaborated on what about a 1936 start date makes certain countries unplayable, I would understand your point better. Do both Italy and Russia count as playable? ( I know you didn't intend the above list to be all inclusive).

Is it mainly minors that you are considering like Romania, Spain or Turkey?

Well, actually, Italy as well to an extent... If I remember correctly the 1933 date has u starting with 30% dissent (which takes forever to lower). 1936 start date isnt much better, as those 3 years are bearly enough to upgrade outdated division - hence you don't actually get to raise more than a couple extra divisions before it all goes BOOM!

N.B.: I am sorry I am a bit rusty I am yet to have my first 2014 game! Also I always confuse these games... as I alternate between darkest hour, doomsday and HOI3.

 

[Dalwin]

The only one that I am aware of with a 1933 start date is the HOI spinoff, Darkest Hour. That "version" of the game was characterized by having higher dissent values for most countries no matter what years you were looking at. Germany for example starts with 40% dissent in 1933 and I have a very difficult time getting them to anywhere near the historical level of war readiness by 1939.

Using that as an example really says nothing about the validity of 1936 as a start date as it relates to decisions made by the modder who developed Darkest Hour even though it eventually became an official game.

I still play Darkest Hour, though the whole dissent mechanic is very different from any other HOI version.

 

[Snozzle91]

The only one that I am aware of with a 1933 start date is the HOI spinoff, Darkest Hour. That "version" of the game was characterized by having higher dissent values for most countries no matter what years you were looking at. Germany for example starts with 40% dissent in 1933 and I have a very difficult time getting them to anywhere near the historical level of war readiness by 1939.

Using that as an example really says nothing about the validity of 1936 as a start date as it relates to decisions made by the modder who developed Darkest Hour even though it eventually became an official game.

I still play Darkest Hour, though the whole dissent mechanic is very different from any other HOI version.

LOL.

OK, if you wanna read half of what I wrote and ignore the rest...

 

[Dalwin]

No I read the whole thing and even agree with it. I am simply saying that I don't think drawing conclusions from Darkest Hour is entirely valid when looking at the HOI franchise overall and planning for HOI4.

 

[Snozzle91]

No I read the whole thing and even agree with it. I am simply saying that I don't think drawing conclusions from Darkest Hour is entirely valid when looking at the HOI franchise overall and planning for HOI4.

Ok then.

My fingers are crossed. Sleep well!

 

[jju_57]

My only quarrel is that starting dates too close to WW2 (1936, would be just that for me) make countries other than Germany, USA & England, close to unplayable (ok, I am exagerating, but I hope you get the point).

I do not want HOI4 to let you play some minor and do a world conquest. That is fantasyland.

 

[Axe99]

My only quarrel is that starting dates too close to WW2 (1936, would be just that for me) make countries other than Germany, USA & England, close to unplayable (ok, I am exagerating, but I hope you get the point).

What do you mean by unplayable? I've played a bunch of nations in HoI3 and 2, and they were all perfectly playable. I had a very enjoyable game as Australia, hardly a world power, and France is a lot of fun as well, in a masochistic "let's see how long we can hang on" kind of way. Italy is absolutely playable. However, if you mean "can play and win WW2 as the major player", then that's clearly not the case, but that's because it's a WW2 game - Italy was never going to be the driving force in a world conflict (well, not since around 300-400 AD ).

 

[Snozzle91]

What do you mean by unplayable? I've played a bunch of nations in HoI3 and 2, and they were all perfectly playable. I had a very enjoyable game as Australia, hardly a world power, and France is a lot of fun as well, in a masochistic "let's see how long we can hang on" kind of way. Italy is absolutely playable. However, if you mean "can play and win WW2 as the major player", then that's clearly not the case, but that's because it's a WW2 game - Italy was never going to be the driving force in a world conflict (well, not since around 300-400 AD ).

you guys dont get my point - or may be I didnt explain myself well! Ofc all countries are playable... What bugs me is having to enter the conflict with the exact same units I begin with - because the countries I tend to play with have very outdated divisions that take ages to update. Also... given the time, is building IC even worthwhile? I'd really much like a scenario that gave you the possibility to beef up whichever country you are playing a bit - which is not to say it will ever be as powerful as Germany...

ultimately this is a game people play so that they may to some extent modify history, it is only fair that the player is given a chance to do so!

I am not asking for an ahistorical game... just the chance to build up my country a tad, before I am thrown into WW2. In this respect there could be 2 starting points, one in let's say 1933 and another in 1939 - so everybody is happy! no!?

 

[KostasL]

I see no reason for not having a 1933 campaign !

Just like in Darkest Hour !

 

[Dalwin]

I see no reason for not having a 1933 campaign !

Just like in Darkest Hour !

I think the only reason that DH included a 1933 scenario is they wanted to play with giving Germany the option of going with the communists instead of the Nazis in '33.

The further before the historical war the game starts, the less likely it is to have any resemblance to the historical war. All these prewar years also make game balance more difficult to achieve.

 

[jju_57]

you guys dont get my point - or may be I didnt explain myself well! Ofc all countries are playable... What bugs me is having to enter the conflict with the exact same units I begin with - because the countries I tend to play with have very outdated divisions that take ages to update. Also... given the time, is building IC even worthwhile? I'd really much like a scenario that gave you the possibility to beef up whichever country you are playing a bit - which is not to say it will ever be as powerful as Germany...

ultimately this is a game people play so that they may to some extent modify history, it is only fair that the player is given a chance to do so!

I am not asking for an ahistorical game... just the chance to build up my country a tad, before I am thrown into WW2. In this respect there could be 2 starting points, one in let's say 1933 and another in 1939 - so everybody is happy! no!?

You can do that by modifying the save or starting files for the country you want to play. Want more IC, give it to yourself. Want more leadership change it. Want more money, presto add it. Problem solved.

Just don't expect the rest of us to have to play a game where country X is ahistorical because you wanted to make an empire with it.