Hearts of Iron IV is primarily a war-focused game with over 80 playable countries. The grand strategy game immerses players in the tumultuous era of World War II.
Yes, warfare is a central theme in Hearts of Iron IV gameplay. In fact, you only need a war goal to declare war. Once a nation has a war goal, it can start a war against a target country. Recently, Hoi4 players have been wondering if it’s possible to attain victory without engaging in warfare.
Well, we researched and found that it’s possible to have peaceful gameplay in Hearts of Iron IV. Here are five non-war strategies players can use to achieve victory in this World War II grand strategy game.
Economic Development
Your country’s economy is the foundation that you get to build your nation upon in the game. Without a strong economy, not only will your country have a high unemployment rate, but you’ll become easy prey for other nations making it easy for them to conquer your nation.
Start by building civilian factories. While they are expensive to construct, they are essential if you plan on having a strong economy. Each civilian factory provides 5 construction industrial capacities which means you can start with 75 industries. In time, you can use them to trade for resources required for production.
Infrastructure is another area to focus on. High infrastructure increases the number of resources you can extract. It also speeds up construction times and improves resource supply. So, to boost your economy, build your electrical grid and road network to a maximum of level 5.
Hearts of Iron IV Diplomacy
One way players can achieve victory when playing Hearts of Iron IV is through diplomacy. Unlike warfare, diplomacy in Hearts of Iron IV is bilateral. Basically, all requests and relations are usually done between a player and a target country or between two AI countries.
There are several diplomatic actions that players can undertake. For example, players can sign non-aggression pacts with a target country. This pact means that another country agrees not to attack you.
When a player signs a non-aggression pact, the “Justify War Goal” and “Declare War” features in the game get disabled. The pact is not cancellable within the first 12 months. However, after 12 months, countries can break the pact but it will depend on the size of their armies along the shared border.
Besides signing a non-aggression pact, you can trade resources, forge peaceful alliances, and even puppet other nations to avoid war. By utilizing diplomatic actions, Hearts of Iron IV players can exert and expand their influence without engaging in war.
Cultural and Technological Advancement
Cultural and technological advancement have proven that pursuing research and development, promoting cultural achievements and scientific breakthroughs, players can exert their influence on the world stage.
Think about it for a second. By investing your country’s resources in art, education, and culture, your country can gain influence and soft power on the world stage. The good news is you get to do so without necessarily engaging in war.
Additionally, countries can invest in technologies that improve resource extraction, diplomatic relations, and infrastructure. In doing so, players get to position their nations as global leaders all without relying on military conflict.
Intelligence Gathering and Espionage
Intelligence gathering and espionage are powerful tools when it comes to war. However, did you know that intelligence gathering and espionage can help enjoy peaceful Hearts of Iron IV gameplay? Well, when you build your espionage network, your spies will have the ability to gather information.
Additionally, they can conduct sabotage missions and even influence the internal affairs of other nations. There are more than 14 covert actions that your operatives can perform on other nations. Examples include disrupting the military industry, sabotaging aviation radars, or even sowing political discontent.
Through these powerful and effective tactics, you can manipulate events and weaken your adversaries without necessarily going to war.
Create a Stable Nation
Stable governance is where a nation provides essential services to its people. Additionally, the state serves as a responsible steward of all its resources. Through stable governance, the basic human needs of the population are largely met.
How do you go about building a stable nation in Hearts of Irons IV? Well, a few strategies you can try include ensuring the well-being of your country’s population, promoting education, and addressing social issues.
Additionally, you can promote healthcare and improve security thus creating a stable society. With a satisfied society, the chances of your population supporting aggressive policies or military conflict will be non-existent. This will make peaceful coexistence between nations more feasible.
Final Thoughts
Victory is possible in Hearts of Iron IV without engaging in war. By creating a stable nation, prioritizing economic development, utilizing diplomacy and espionage, and promoting cultural and technological advancement, players can achieve victory without resorting to armed conflict.
With Hearts of Iron IV DLC, the game further expands allowing players to pursue additional paths. So, whether you’re looking to challenge history or prefer a pacifist approach, Hearts of Iron IV presents more opportunities for diplomatic gameplay.
