What does your war plan look like?

[RMS Gigantic]

I'm sure there are many among you (including myself) who are so excited about Hearts of Iron 4 that you've gone and planned ahead the first thing you want to try when you get the game! I figure it would be great to have a thread for everybody to post their plans, just as long as they're not something that you want to keep secret from another player. For example, I plan on playing multiplayer, but I'll share my plan here because I'll be cooperating with the other players I'm playing with, not fighting against them.

So, to start things off, I'll show what I wish to do not only when I first get my hands on the game, but the scenario that I will likely spend the coming YEARS playing and replaying with every permutation I can imagine!


When I first saw the USA's focus tree, I was absolutely psyched: my main goal with this game was to execute War Plan Red, and I was absolutely elated when I saw that not only is it something that can theoretically be done in the game, but it's an entire focus tree path. I've been fascinated by this what-could-have-been plan of action and how it might have shaped the post-war world, so I'll likely be playing this game again and again and again to see what impact War Plan Red would have if it were executed in the 1930's versus 1940, if the US allied with the Axis as a result of War Plan Red being executed in the 40's or if Great Britain would ally with the Axis as a result of a 1930's War Plan Red, if it would prevent World War II as we know it altogether, if a combined US and Canada would better "persuade" Denmark in 1946 to sell Greenland than the actual US did, and so on.

I'm still reading through the 1931 version of the plan, which is the most thoroughly detailed one that I have found scans of online, so I'll likely continue to add onto this cheat sheet of sorts as I continue to learn more about the most intricate details of the plan, but so far this is what I have in terms of the portions of the plan that are relevant to my invasion of Canada in Hearts of Iron 4:

Spoiler: My war plan

How about you? If you don't have a nice picture to show, you can always just give a detailed text description of your war plan.

 

[Comrade110]

Well it is pretty simple, to paint the world Red and rename New York to New Moscow.

 

[AlfredMV]

Well it is pretty simple, to paint the world Red and rename New York to New Moscow.

Where will you get all that paint? !

Seriously though I keep a rough plan in my notes at all times. Copy paste.

Switzerland
Stay neutral, become a world power, lend lease and free trade
Focus on very elite ground troops
Start with undisturbed isolationism and move to isolation
Free trade
Volunteer only
Focus on ground troops
Superior firepower doctrine
Heavy tanks
Engineering
Industry
Nukes

Finland
Stay neutral, become a world power, lend lease and free trade, join allies
Focus on very elite ground troops
Start with undisturbed isolationism and move to mobilization
Free trade
Volunteer only
Focus on ground troops
Superior firepower doctrine
Heavy tanks
Engineering
Industry
Forts

Brazil
Join the axis, conquer south America, delay the US and Canada
Defensive line, small amounts of high quality troops
Start with isolation and move slowly to mobilization
Start with free trade and move slowly to limited exports
Start with volunteer army and move to limited conscription
Focus on infantry, anti tank, and fighter planes
Light tanks
Superior fire power doctrine
Air superiority doctrine
Strategic bombing doctrine
Engineering
Industry
Infantry
Specialist
Paratroopers
Light tank
Fighters
Transports

Australia
Join the allies, conquer the ocean, stop Japan, win the sea
Focus on very small amounts of Paratroopers, powerful navy, powerful airforce
Start with war economy and move to total mobilization
Start with free trade never below limited exports
Start with volunteer only move to limited conscription
Focus on fighter planes, bombers, navy
Base strike doctrine
Air superiority
Superior firepower doctrine
Engineering
Industry
Jets

Italy
Join the axis, conquer the Mediterranean, hold the alps, win Africa
Focus on very small amounts of Paratroopers, powerful navy, powerful airforce, mountaineers
Start with war economy and move to total mobilization
Start with free trade never below limited exports
Start with volunteer only move to limited conscription
Focus on fighter planes, heavy tanks, navy
Base strike doctrine
Air superiority
Superior firepower doctrine
Engineering
Industry

Mexico
Join axis, become a world power, lend lease and free trade, stop us
Focus on quality ground troops
Start with isolationism and move to total war
Free trade to limited exports
Volunteer only to limited conscription
Focus on ground troops
Superior firepower doctrine
Heavy tanks
Engineering
Industry
Forts

Ethiopia
Join the allies, conquer the sea, stop Italy, win the Mediterranean and Africa
Focus on a medium sized army, powerful navy of subs, powerful airforce, mountaineers, light tanks
Start with war economy and move to total mobilization
Start with limited exports
Start with limited conscription move to service by requirement
Focus on tanks, infantry, and artillery
Air superiority
Mobile warfare doctrine
Engineering
Industry
Synthetic rubber and oil

Germany
Join the axis, ally soviets, puppet turkey, ally Japan, befriend Czech, ally Italy, ally Spain, wreck France, wreck Europe, wreck Africa and Asia, wreck America
High quality troops,
Start with consumer economy and move to total war
Start with free trade and move slowly to limited exports
Start with limited conscription and move to conscription
Focus on infantry, tanks, and bombers
Light tanks
Mobile warfare doctrine
Battlefield destruction
Strategic bombing doctrine
Operational destruction
Engineering
Industry
Infantry
Specialist
Paratroopers
Light tank
Fighters
Transports

In rough order and guidelines. May change depending on release.

 

[Sleight of Hand]

@RMS Gigantic

I made a thread for this kind of thing here. (I don't mind, just saying!)

I think I'll be playing as France for my first game, to learn the basics and try to hold Germany back. You can see the French national focus tree, although I hope it gets updated (and some spelling fixes) before release.

My goal is to build up the Maginot line, extending it to the Channel, and concentrate on the historical French defensive plan: infantry divisions supported by heavy tank brigades and fighter squadrons. I'm tempted to oppose Germany as soon as they enter the Rhineland, as this means they will be put on the back foot early on and can't attempt the Anschluss. This is probably France's best chance at winning, as even Hitler conceded that if Germany had been invaded from the West before 1940 then the war would have been lost. We'll see how it goes.

My main diplomatic plan is to intervene in the SCW early on - either directly or via aid - on the side of the Republicans, and then go down the pro-USSR national focus tree until I can join Comintern and bring the Soviets in against Germany earlier on. From there, who knows!

As with all of the major powers' national focus trees, France has a number of very interesting options, and I love that it seems you are able to join either of the three main factions if you so choose. That said, I do think it's silly that allying with Germany is an option, but I suppose if some people really want to try that then it's nice it's there as an option.

If the war with Germany goes well, I'll invade Italy, destroy the Regia Marina, overthrow Mussolini and install a Trotskyite government. I'll probably take Italy's African colonies as well, and possibly Sardinia and Sicily for good measure.

Thoughts?

 

[Midden]

I expect as France is a Democracy, there won't be enough world tension for you to intervene in SCW, or oppose Germany occupation of Rhineland, or declare war on Germany until it has caused enough aggravation.

 

[panzerzombie]

I think as germany I´d like to forestall any treasonous acts and idiotic strategic errors and attack Italy as my first target, thus ensuring that the country has proper administration and the factories will produce quality items and not that cheap crap...^^

 

[Enfield303]

Playing as GB I have two plans.

The first is the most ambitious one, remain democratic but see if I can bro it up with Japan whilst leaving the continent to its fate (As is tradition) and see if we can form the greatest Naval Alliance the world has ever seen..then its time to see about getting the 13 colonies back.

Failing that, flip fascist and show those frogs that Calais is rightful British clay.

 

[Caesar15]

I expect as France is a Democracy, there won't be enough world tension for you to intervene in SCW, or oppose Germany occupation of Rhineland, or declare war on Germany until it has caused enough aggravation.

France gets special options to intervene because historically they had the chance to.