Sandbox

[Stuckenschmidt]

Hello fellow Forumites. I have never played HoI, but am toying with the idea of buying the fourth Iteration. Now I found the following on Wiki:

In a Reddit "Ask Me Anything"-event, Paradox manager Johan Andersson promised better AI and accessibility compared to Hearts of Iron III, and that the game would not have a rigid, forced game-progression but would feature sandbox-style gameplay

Now how exactly do I have to imagine this sandbox-style? The USA and Germany being Allies. Or more along the lines of Axis vs Allies including Allied world conquest or just no historic events?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

[sgt.stickybomb]

The decision that the AI will make will not necessarily mirror what happened historically. For example, AI Germany can choose to befriend China over Japan, France can choose to react more aggressively over the re militarization of the Rhineland, Germany can befriend Poland, Nations can become democratic/ Fascist, etc.
Here is a screenshot showing some decisions Germany can take:

The game will be alot more unpredictable than HOI3. In HOI3 most of the time the AI will react exactly as you expect it to act, to the point that when I annex Czechoslovakia I don't even need to put troops on the border in case they decide to fight me because I know they will just fold and let me annex them without a fight.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Ah, I see. Thank you for clarification.

EDIT:

Anschluss.

 

[RMS Gigantic]

It should probably be noted as well that you have a checkbox to enable "unhistorical AI," to decide if you want these crazier decisions or an AI that weighs decisions far more heavily in favor of historical actions.

 

[Beagá]

That was confirmed? Source?

I´m more curious about which mode would allow achievements.

 

[BBBD316]

I know that the historical v ahistorical options are in, they mention that in the first WWW, however even then they don't have to happen. I think Airhart managed to survive in the stream.

As for achievements I think both options would have be allowed as I for one will always play sandbox just cause I like things going off the rails.