What Game Are You Playing At The Moment?

[Tyton]

Yeah the crazy thing about this game is that Naval and Air have no supply so to speak, Ships can stay out at sea indefinitely, I think they tried to tweak the old system but could not find a happy medium but I am sure it will get looked at because Naval is just so ridiculous right now. There is no supply as mentioned, naval bombers are OP as you said because port strike is offthe scale, honestly port strike is crazily good although I kinda see the logic, but as it stands fighters are not picking up bombers as good as they should be. I think they should keep the bombing as is but make fighters better at taking bombers out.

Carriers are pretty good because of how they utilise air and with a good number of screens you will be safe, its just the length of time it takes to build them and the materials. I am loving the game just needs a few issues sorting out mechanics wise, Political game fleshing out and the AI needs some love.

After 2 saves done in Europe, I'm convinced that you need to focus on fighters from the start. Might not be as important in other places, but in Europe if you don't have air superiority right when the war starts, you are running out of options to maneuver very quickly. But if you have control, you can build up from there. Naval bombing, or assaults on ports, which are ******* brutal as you say. And only after that you put out your fleet to clean up the remains. But it all needs to start with fighters.

The thing is, it's very hard to regain air superiority if you don't have it. I kept stockpiling the Fighters in my Germany save, and I only put them out there once I had entire France and Germany covered with anti-air and radar. That took like 2 years. When I finally decided to give it a try, my 2000 Fighters got melted in like 5 minutes, lol.

So yeah, that's my plan for the next Germany save. At the start I'll skip armor divisions completely, because you only need that when you are fighting on large land masses. Get air control, then get navy control, and after that I can just use paratroopers for breakthroughs.

 

[epic terrorist]

After 2 saves done in Europe, I'm convinced that you need to focus on fighters from the start. Might not be as important in other places, but in Europe if you don't have air superiority right when the war starts, you are running out of options to maneuver very quickly. But if you have control, you can build up from there. Naval bombing, or assaults on ports, which are ******* brutal as you say. And only after that you put out your fleet to clean up the remains. But it all needs to start with fighters.

The thing is, it's very hard to regain air superiority if you don't have it. I kept stockpiling the Fighters in my Germany save, and I only put them out there once I had entire France and Germany covered with anti-air and radar. That took like 2 years. When I finally decided to give it a try, my 2000 Fighters got melted in like 5 minutes, lol.

So yeah, that's my plan for the next Germany save. At the start I'll skip armor divisions completely, because you only need that when you are fighting on large land masses. Get air control, then get navy control, and after that I can just use paratroopers for breakthroughs.

Yeah fighters are key right now because the air battles are so ******, if you cannot win the initial engagement it is so hard to recover. I have not done Germany yet but I have seen on the forums that people have quoted numbers like 3k to win the ffirst air battles, and then you have to prepare for the soviets.

For armour I only use light, I get the production going as soon as, then I rush light armour and get the army exp minister and throw points into the gun, reliability etc. The speed and the soft attack just breeze through infantry, especially with the right support brigades. Use that to breakthrough but I have only really had 2 campaigns that was mainly land battles.

just really need to sit down and work the naval stuff out and what the **** is going on, I know some stuff like no stacking penalties and 4 screens to a capital is optimal but I need to work out what is going on underneath

 

[Tyton]

For armour I only use light, I get the production going as soon as, then I rush light armour and get the army exp minister and throw points into the gun, reliability etc. The speed and the soft attack just breeze through infantry, especially with the right support brigades. Use that to breakthrough but I have only really had 2 campaigns that was mainly land battles.

I think at the start you don't really need tanks, since nobody else has them either. I've had good success just adding 2 artillery battalions to the standard infantry division, and using Superior Firepower doctrine - when you have that maxed, it adds batshit crazy amount of damage versus meatshields. That and infantry is better at defending itself. After 2-3 years throw in anti-armor artillery to the division layout, plus they get bazookas. You can spam shitload of units like that and they keep holding their own versus tanks just fine.

Granted I haven't fought a large land war yet, and if you have to fight in Russia or US, I imagine tanks are neccessary.

 

[epic terrorist]

I think at the start you don't really need tanks, since nobody else has them either. I've had good success just adding 2 artillery battalions to the standard infantry division, and using Superior Firepower doctrine - when you have that maxed, it adds batshit crazy amount of damage versus meatshields. That and infantry is better at defending itself. After 2-3 years throw in anti-armor artillery to the division layout, plus they get bazookas. You can spam shitload of units like that and they keep holding their own versus tanks just fine.

Granted I haven't fought a large land war yet, and if you have to fight in Russia or US, I imagine tanks are neccessary.

Yeah its more for the soft attack and also the speed, its handy for taking the victory points then encircling and cutting off supply. It helps when you not so many divisions too, can hold the line with INF and encircle with the armour. But yeah you are right ART INF INF is pretty boss, especially with good support battalions. Unsure on optimal though seen a few theories, 7 INF + 2 ART, ART INF INF (what I use), ART INF (bit of a glass cannon tho Imo). What have you been using?

 

[McBainy]

I tend to play 3 games at ones...well not all at same time but weeks of each or day of each or even one for a month and at the moment it's...fallout 4(Xbox one) world of Warcraft and football manager 2016 I also like the witcher 3(Xbox one)

bain#2314 is my battlenet ID if you want game on wow...

 

[Tyton]

Yeah its more for the soft attack and also the speed, its handy for taking the victory points then encircling and cutting off supply. It helps when you not so many divisions too, can hold the line with INF and encircle with the armour. But yeah you are right ART INF INF is pretty boss, especially with good support battalions. Unsure on optimal though seen a few theories, 7 INF + 2 ART, ART INF INF (what I use), ART INF (bit of a glass cannon tho Imo). What have you been using?

Yeah, I use Art Inf Inf. Also having line artillery opens up space for more support battalions, and some of them are just too good to miss.

I've started new save with Germany and will try to get full air control this time, we'll see how it goes. Also I'm planning to turn entire Scandinavia and Turkey into facist states, this way Russians will have more targets to poke and I should have more time to take on UK.

 

[epic terrorist]

Yeah, I use Art Inf Inf. Also having line artillery opens up space for more support battalions, and some of them are just too good to miss.

I've started new save with Germany and will try to get full air control this time, we'll see how it goes. Also I'm planning to turn entire Scandinavia and Turkey into facist states, this way Russians will have more targets to poke and I should have more time to take on UK.

yeah that should thin their line a bit even more so if they get involved in china, I did Poland tonight, didn't join the Allies and France took the decision to guarantee Czeckoslavakia after the german event to annex them (cannot remember what its called in the focus tree). So that sparked war but they hadn't got Italy to join either so they had to fight two fronts so I took some initiative and marched to Berlin GG WP. Was too easy but one of those games where you get the perfect political storm to cause havoc. Gooing to start again though feel a bit cheated don't like hollo victories like that.

Good luck woth the naval invasion of the UK hope you can take down the ***** that is the royal navy!

 

[Tyton]

yeah that should thin their line a bit even more so if they get involved in china, I did Poland tonight, didn't join the Allies and France took the decision to guarantee Czeckoslavakia after the german event to annex them (cannot remember what its called in the focus tree). So that sparked war but they hadn't got Italy to join either so they had to fight two fronts so I took some initiative and marched to Berlin GG WP. Was too easy but one of those games where you get the perfect political storm to cause havoc. Gooing to start again though feel a bit cheated don't like hollo victories like that.

Good luck woth the naval invasion of the UK hope you can take down the ***** that is the royal navy!

Lol, I had the same thing happen with Germany. Czechoslovakia triggered the war, so I did them quick, skipped Poland to use them as buffer zone between me and USRR, and went straight at France. And after that, London has fallen. Was surprisingly easy once I figured it everything out.

My plan worked basically. First I took air control. Then I found a neat base for my subs in the south France where the bombers likely couldn't reach, secured it with radar, anti-air and 1000 Fighters, all to make sure I don't get bombed in the port. Then I went poking down UK's convoys. Must have taken like 200 of them, at some point they stopped coming at all, they must have run out of resources to build them basically. After that it was smooth ride. Send the subs in, I lost the first major battle, but escaped to my base out of reach. Royal Navy wasn't that lucky, I bombed them all in ports while they were undertaking repairs, and after that I just had to send invasion army.

Fun **** going in the East though.

Russians have taken Poland eventually, but I triggered a focus-tree event that gives me non-agression pact, so that gave me a year. I was still focused on UK though, and they Russians were already standing 2-3 tiles from Berlin. So I build up a Tyton Line, level 10 fortifications running all the way from Gdansk to Prague. Thanks to my political manouvering, the Russians are now spread on the massive front reaching from Finland all the way to Greece, it's hilarious. But I was focused on planes and navy, and went way over the top, si I have no tanks researched nor built. So two armies are just standing there, I can't take them, and they can't take me.

I'm tempted to just leave the save running for the night, make units spawn there automatically, set up air superiority where necessary, and see if they ever attack. If they ever do attack, there's a surprise - I have 1200 V2 rockets at the border, ready to launch as soon as war breaks out. That will probably destroy their infrastructure down to 0 and it will be bye bye supplies for entire army.

I've might have build an ultimate Hoi4 turtle.

 

[epic terrorist]

Lol, I had the same thing happemean th Germany. Czechoslovakia triggered the war, so I did them quick, skipped Poland to use them as buffer zone between me and USRR, and went straight at France. And after that, London has fallen. Was surprisingly easy once I figured it everything out.

My plan worked basically. First I took air control. Then I found a neat base for my subs in the south France where the bombers likely couldn't reach, secured it with radar, anti-air and 1000 Fighters, all to make sure I don't get bombed in the port. Then I went poking down UK's convoys. Must have taken like 200 of them, at some point they stopped coming at all, they must have run out of resources to build them basically. After that it was smooth ride. Send the subs in, I lost the first major battle, but escaped to my base out of reach. Royal Navy wasn't that lucky, I bombed them all in ports while they were undertaking repairs, and after that I just had to send invasion army.

Fun **** going in the East though.

Russians have taken Poland eventually, but I triggered a focus-tree event that gives me non-agression pact, so that gave me a year. I was still focused on UK though, and they Russians were already standing 2-3 tiles from Berlin. So I build up a Tyton Line, level 10 fortifications running all the way from Gdansk to Prague. Thanks to my political manouvering, the Russians are now spread on the massive front reaching from Finland all the way to Greece, it's hilarious. But I was focused on planes and navy, and went way over the top, si I have no tanks researched nor built. So two armies are just standing there, I can't take them, and they can't take me.

I'm tempted to just leave the save running for the night, make units spawn there automatically, set up air superiority where necessary, and see if they ever attack. If they ever do attack, there's a surprise - I have 1200 V2 rockets at the border, ready to launch as soon as war breaks out. That will probably destroy their infrastructure down to 0 and it will be bye bye supplies for entire army.

I've might have build an ultimate Hoi4 turtle.

thats quite a good way of doing things, I like how the political game is better but it still needs fleshing out, i know its a war game but the political landscape of the 30s is really interesting and needs to be better represented imo. Although then they would have to make a 1933 start date which I think they are loathe to do.

What you going to do about your armour situation? I mean the reich has some good tank bonuses I am assuming. So long as I do not get to busy today I will be firing up a save later just not sure who. May take a stab at mexico and try the sunset invasion achievemnet

 

[Tyton]

thats quite a good way of doing things, I like how the political game is better but it still needs fleshing out, i know its a war game but the political landscape of the 30s is really interesting and needs to be better represented imo. Although then they would have to make a 1933 start date which I think they are loathe to do.

What you going to do about your armour situation? I mean the reich has some good tank bonuses I am assuming. So long as I do not get to busy today I will be firing up a save later just not sure who. May take a stab at mexico and try the sunset invasion achievemnet

With 1933 start you could just turn every major country into your faction using political pressure and roll everything else. So that's a problem.

And I don't know, I'm tempted to just abandon this save. I have bigger industry, more fighters, more ships. And Russians can't take me, so I can wait indefinitely and build up the invasion army. But with war on this scale, it will take at least 15 months to research and build enough tanks.

 

[epic terrorist]

With 1933 start you could just turn every major country into your faction using political pressure and roll everything else. So that's a problem.

And I don't know, I'm tempted to just abandon this save. I have bigger industry, more fighters, more ships. And Russians can't take me, so I can wait indefinitely and build up the invasion army. But with war on this scale, it will take at least 15 months to research and build enough tanks.

Yeah that would be an issue but I think there is a few ways round it, you could make factions a tech or make factions a scripted event from 36 onwards. I dunno would need balance but the politics is crying out for fleshing out.

As for your game you could try taking Russia and the US at the same time I mean that wouldn't be micro **** at all haha. Think it could well be mexico for me later I just like bashing the US I am not going to lie!

 

[Tyton]

Yeah that would be an issue but I think there is a few ways round it, you could make factions a tech or make factions a scripted event from 36 onwards. I dunno would need balance but the politics is crying out for fleshing out.

As for your game you could try taking Russia and the US at the same time I mean that wouldn't be micro **** at all haha. Think it could well be mexico for me later I just like bashing the US I am not going to lie!

Yeah, I think I have Europe figured out by now. Think I'm gonna try something off-beat next, maybe South America or Japan.

 

[epic terrorist]

Yeah, I think I have Europe figured out by now. Think I'm gonna try something off-beat next, maybe South America or Japan.

Brazil is fun you basically just chomp through countries till you get to the yanks, and I would imagine all the other countries are the same in that area. Just attrition in those amazon provinces is off the scale which it should be. Still undecided as to who I will be next game just cannot decide, might have a look through some of the flavour mods and see what tickles my fancy

 

[Tyton]

Brazil is fun you basically just chomp through countries till you get to the yanks, and I would imagine all the other countries are the same in that area. Just attrition in those amazon provinces is off the scale which it should be. Still undecided as to who I will be next game just cannot decide, might have a look through some of the flavour mods and see what tickles my fancy

Yeah Brazil is definitely on my list, although travelling through Amazon looks like a pain. What did you use there in the early game , cavalry?

 

[epic terrorist]

Yeah Brazil is definitely on my list, although travelling through Amazon looks like a pain. What did you use there in the early game , cavalry?

There is a few ways you could it not saying mine is the most optimal, I think you do start with some cavalry, but no I didn't train any, I basically just put together Motorised as soon as I could (not sure if I started with them). I was loathe to train cavalry as you would just need to retrain them and I planned my wars meticulously. I literally made once I started that I could bounce bewtween wars within 10 days of each ending. But even motorised aren't great dealing with the amazon.

But I basically took Colombia first as they are in a pretty key position, so you can then flank Venezula and get their juicy oil, I basically left minimal divisions in the amazon enough so that Colombia and Venezuela would attack me and push the line back and hae to deal with the attrition themselves. And did the main invading through naval invasions. Took Chile for their Steel and then made my way north till I hit the USA.

edit - But Colombia is the key here, if you take them due to their positioning you can basically miss out the amazon with your convoys. I was just deploying from Colombia too.


The problem with Brazil is until you have taken a fair few countries your industry is **** so you cannot produce the troop numbers so I had to specialise maximising my light tanks and mechanised units. WHilst making my infantry beefy as ****. it was realy fun especially when 'Murica fell.

 

[Tyton]

Went with a Netherlands save. Should be fun, I have presence in both Europe and on the Japanese front through my colonies, a lot good resources, and I'm well positioned to do some nice invasions in Asia.

I think I'll go either Axis or with the Soviets. Germans should leave me alone early if I'm communist unless they want to risk early war with USRR, and if I turn Belgium communist, than they'll have to kill themselves on the Maginot Line and waste a lot of time.

And if I go Axis than I can wreak havoc with Japan in Asia.

 

[epic terrorist]

Went with a Netherlands save. Should be fun, I have presence in both Europe and on the Japanese front through my colonies, a lot good resources, and I'm well positioned to do some nice invasions in Asia.

I think I'll go either Axis or with the Soviets. Germans should leave me alone early if I'm communist unless they want to risk early war with USRR, and if I turn Belgium communist, than they'll have to kill themselves on the Maginot Line and waste a lot of time.

And if I go Axis than I can wreak havoc with Japan in Asia.

sounds like it could be fun, have ended up on fallout whilst I watch the footie

 

[Tyton]

sounds like it could be fun, have ended up on fallout whilst I watch the footie

Yeah, we'll see after the game.

Anyhow, if you check on the map, the Dutch are positioned next to critical UK colonies with loads of resources in Asia and South America. So if I can take that over, and maneuver well to not get overrun early, it can be fun save. And turns out they have a nice little fleet on them from the start, 30 ships is nothing to complain about.

 

[Tyton]

Well this turned out to be best save I've done so far. The whole thing went completely off the rails. I plan everything carefully, I turned the Dutch facist, invade Bangkok as a warmup, and prepare some naval invasions against UK colonies for when the war breaks out.

But then Allies end up not protecting Poland, so Germany doesn't attack France and they go straight on USSR together with Japan. So I went with them. Most of my force was in Asia, so I'm ******* invading Syberia on foot with marines. Germany is attacking from the West, Japan from the East, Russians are about to fold, we're way past Moscow. And that's when Hitler decides is the best time to attack France.

All **** broke lose. UK do naval invasion and are about to take Berlin, I declare war on UK, they bomb my industry to complete ****, it looks like we're about to get overrun in a matter of weeks. I was about to throw my mouse out of the window, then I notice a lone city in Syberia. About 7 tiles away, worth 3 victory points. Worth a shot. So I go for a desperate last ditch run. I'm cut off resources, 4 units closing in on me. But I got there and USSR surrendered.

So we're now taking France, I'm invading Denmark and India, and all is going well again.

Absolute madness. Need a bit of rest from HoI though, gonna pick it up the save again next weekend.

 

[Tyton]

Right, tried going with the Netherlands save again, but decided to dump that one too. Think I'll wait for some patches and mods, and maybe couple of DLCs, before I pick up HoI 4 again.

The base game is bags of fun, but there's some problems. Poor balance and dumb AI at release is expected, I'm sure it'll be fixed eventually.

But the endgame is seriously lacking, and that annoys me. If you play your cards right, you often reach that point in every save where you can't really lose, but it would take 30-40 hours to actually win.

My Germany save is the best example. I still have to defeat USRR and the US, so there should be plenty to do. But in fact they cannot take on me on land, sea or in the air, and they can't outproduce me. I'd just have to spend a week microing land wars to actually get them to surrender.

First 4-5 years of every save are the best, but endgame just becomes grind and micro ****.