[Top 5] Hearts of Iron 4 Best Combat Widths

The best combat widths used in Hearts of Iron IV
The best combat widths in Hearts of Iron 4 that will give you an edge over the enemy!


Combat width is the size of your division and can determine how many of them can fit in a battle. Higher combat width tends to result in fewer units entering the battlefield, while the opposite also applies. Combat width can also change in real time based on the terrain of the battle and the tactics applied.

In this article, we’ll be going through the top 5 combat widths for your divisions. We’ll also add our input on why this width is best for your army. Please note that this ranking is not in order, and depending on your situation, you can alternate as you please.

18 Width

An example of the 18 Width Division

My personal favorite, the 18 width, is a great early game combat width to proceed with as it allows for either the 6 infantry/2 artillery division or the 9 infantry division to take the advantage over your early game foes. The fact that the production cost of the division remains manageable should be the clincher in deciding your strategy in the early game. In the two division templates I mentioned, it may be worth going for the 9/0 at the start as artillery equipment may be much more difficult to produce, but if you have the patience to wait for it, it will be able to counteract any early-game enemy divisions.

 

25 Width

An example of the 25 Width Division

An upgraded form of the 18 width, this width is best suited for the mid-game as it assumes that you’ve been able to develop your industry and production so that the addition of more men and equipment won’t be too hard to fulfill. There are no ideal builds for this, so if you want to tack on more men and artillery to your division, by all means, do so. The 25 build should unlock a larger attacking power (thanks to the additional men and equipment) all while keeping the balance well (or if ever the combat width is exceeded, it is not exceeded by a huge value, which could result in a larger penalty for your forces).

 

15 Width

An example of the 15 Width Division

The 15-width division is great for early-game defensive actions, say, against a civil war or an immediate enemy attack. The 15-width is capable of deploying quickly to both the training point and the battlefield, as their relatively low combat width will allow for more friendly units to participate in said battle. Due to their low combat width, one should not expect this width to be able to push past the foe at any notice, and it’s better to keep this unit in reserve until you can upgrade its division to one of the higher widths.
 

41/45 Width

An example of the 41 Width Division

The ultimate bad boy, the 41-45 width division, is the pinnacle of your industry, as it seeks to deal the greatest amount of damage it can muster at any enemy forces. For the low number of divisions able to hit the battlefield, their strong overall stats are designed in this way to ensure that a breakthrough is accomplished no matter the cause or foes defending it. Given the staggering amount of costs required for this template, it’s definitely only worth trying in the late game (unless you’re some kind of early game conqueror).

 

10 Width

An example of the 10 Width Division

The absolute defensive units main goal is to provide a large HP and organization as they look to defend key areas such as the ports, air bases, and victory points. Their relatively low production cost will keep this unit equipped at all times, though the combination of the low combat width and too few infantry units means that experienced replacements will not be able to reach your forces. The main advantage to this is that, despite only having a combat width of 10, their manpower, production cost, and HP ratio will still match an infantry division with 9 templates.

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Forever content in the world of strategy and simulation, Jonathan has been testing out new games in the genre for millenia, never ceasing his unrelenting wonder for the genre.
Gamer Since: 2008
Favorite Genre: RTS
Currently Playing: Hearts of Iron IV
Top 3 Favorite Games:League of Legends, Sid Meier's Civilization V, Dragon Age: Origins


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