#15 - State Transfer
The State Transfer mod and Player-Led Conferences (which we will get more into further down the line) will be the only two mods that only affect the mechanics. This mod is great for newbies and pros alike as it allows players to transfer states/provinces between countries. This allows players to fix historical inaccuracies or create some interesting scenarios.
#14 - Player-Led Conferences
Player-Led Conferences will be the last mechanics-only mod on this list. This is favored by many players in the HOI4 community as it allows players to literally annex or puppet a whole country. This mod (which I personally always use) grants players more unique ways of setting the peace conferences and allow the player to take the proper bite of contribution that they deserve. In multiplayer, this is oftentimes disliked as the aggressor can take more while doing almost nothing.
#13 - Novum Vexillum
Novum Vexillum starts in the early 2000s, and the technology goes up until 2032. This modern warfare mod features a new economy and national policy system, tank and air designers, and accurate equipment to the time. While it does not have much “unique-ness' ' to add, this game is a great way for players to try getting accustomed to modern warfare, before maybe trying out Millennium Dawn.
#12 - Der Bruderkrieg
Der Bruderkrieg (meaning The Brother War in German) takes place post Austro-Prussian War, with an answer to the question, “What would happen if Austria won the Austro-Prussian War?” Germany gets divided and some Italian territory becomes Asutrian. The Russians are recovering after a coalition war between Russia, Prussia, and Italy ensued against the Austro-Hungarians and the Ottomans, which are in a semi-hegemonic alliance.
With hundreds of events and decisions, new mechanics and focuses for Austria, Prussia, France, and Russia, the game offers many new things for the players to try. In the future, the mod plans to add focus trees for UK, Italy, USA, Westphalia, Spartakus Prussia, the Ottomans, and Bavaria.
#11 - BlackICE
Have you ever wanted to complicate Hearts of Iron IV even further? Maybe you thought about taking immersion to a new level? This mod adds just that. While there isn’t a whole new map, or a whole timeline being changed, (that is unless you really force it) BlackICE stems out amongst other mods by adding a lot of interesting features.
New focus trees, a bunch of new technologies, tweaked casualty system, new unit types, new laws, ability to produce uniform camos, and more! This mod always adds more things and has a large following of more than 10,000 members. This mod is heavily recommended.
#10 - Thousand Week Reich
With Germany’s victory in Europe, the Nazi control over many Reichskommisariats stands strong. Ostland, Moskowien, Kaukusus, Ukraine, many nations turned into Nazi puppets. Some, like the Benelux, turned into core German territory. It is 1952, do you join the Germans and enforce the new German Order, or do you join the new Allies (which looks like NATO) to stop the German rule?
With hundreds of events, and focuses for many nations, you can wage war in this Cold War technology-era timeline. The game adds more ideologies, a new economic development system, and mechanics for the players to try. Join and either save the world from the oppressors, or live a luxurious life as the Aryan race.
#9 - Road to 56
When players join HOI4, the first mod that is usually added is Road to 56! R56 (Road to 56) is a mod that does not really affect the base game, however it allows for players to upgrade technology past 1945 and up until 1956.
That is 11 whole years of fun war tech. Besides technology, the mod does not add much, hence why it is not ranked higher, however despite that, this mod is recommended for new players to try at least once.
#8 - Red Flood
The game started in 1936, however the world has changed. With a well-written lore to acquaint players with the game’s backstory, Red Flood goes through the collapse of the Russian Empire and much more. The Balkan nations are all split, the Russian Empire has crumbled, and worst of all for the colonizers, most European colonies in Africa have been dismantled.
With many new nations and their respective focuses in play, how would WW2 look like if everything was more split? Would Germany be put down quicker or would the Germans take over Russia like the Mongols in the 1200s? Reform the Russian Empire, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, or simply continue the Third Reich trend with this interesting mod.
#7 - The New Order: Last Days of Europe
Another game that takes place in a more “modern” setting, TNO (The New Order) gives its idea of what would have happened if The Greater Germanic Reich won the Second World War. With a similar collapse of the USSR and the puppet states of Germany, this game features a lot more than expected!
With more than a decade of playable content, a new economy system and interface for players to immerse themselves, the game also features THOUSANDS of events. That’s not all. New ideologies, laws, and political system based on Victoria 2, and the ability to wage a nuclear war should be more than enough to get a player excited to try this beauty of a mod.
#6 - The Great War
Self-explanatory, The Great War turns HOI4 from a WW2 game to a WW1 game. You can start in 1910, 1914, or 1919 if you really want to try feeling the aftermath of Versailles. With many national focuses, doctrines, and new forces of warfare, (Trench and Gas) this game feels like a whole new game! Highly recommended for new players as it does not make the game any more complicated, and in fact would be a fun way of building up a lore/foundation pre-WW2.
#5 - Old War Blues
If Fallout made a Grand Strategy game, Old War Blues would be the child. Explore the post-apocalyptic setting in 2275 centered around the North American continent. Reform America or form a whole new nation with its own ideology.
Speaking of features, the game adds 4 new ideologies, 34 new unit types, 92 unique focus trees, hundreds of national focuses, (since this is practically a whole new game) and an accurate research tree that coincides with the Fallout franchise. In the game, you can also scavenge and caps are in fact the currency system of the continent.
#4 - Endsieg: Ultimate Victory
Endsieg is The Great War on steroids. The scenarios in Endsieg: Ultimate Victory include:
1910
1914
1916
1918
July 2nd, 1941
August 1st, 1942
July 11th, 1943
June 21st, 1944
December 16th, 1944
March 20th, 1945
The game also features the national focuses and technologies accurate to the scenario/setting. Do you want to start off as France in the start of the Great War? Do you want to choose a different approach to the Treaty of Versailles in 1918? Maybe you fancy playing in specific times of WW2 like Operation Barbarossa, Battle of Stalingrad, Operation Citadel, Gotterdammerung, etc.
This mod offers more possibilities and opportunities than a lot of people have in their careers. This mod is highly recommended for those who either want to immerse themselves in a full-on 20th century timeline, or simply to try the infamous 1945 challenge. Do not worry, Steiner will launch the counter-attack.
#3 - Cold War Iron Curtain: A World Divided
1949, the start of the Cold War. However that is not the only scenario playable. With more than 20 years of playable content, you can start the scenario in 1949, 1960, or 1970. The game also features the UN to “simulate real politics' ' as well as the DEFCON and MAD system. If things unfortunately do go south, there is always the ability to use Geneva Checklist weapons, like nuclear warheads! The game also features a more detailed economy.
Ability to purchase equipment, and one of the largest technology trees lasting 70 YEARS! More than 30 ideologies and even more unique mechanics for players to enjoy. This game is the Cold War of Millennium Dawn, and that might be an understatement. This mod is seriously recommended, although it might be a bit difficult for the newer players to grasp the new gameplay.
#2 - Millennium Dawn
Millennium Dawn, a mod where you can either start in the 2000s or 2014, (which is still a work in progress) Millennium Dawn sometimes feels more complicated than the American SAT as the amount of choices, mechanics, and tools there make a person feel like they are actually ruling a country.
The game changes everything. From GUI and HUD to mechanics, politics, economy, and more! The amount of features are so large that even a 5-paragraph essay wouldn’t be able to explain unless each paragraph had 20 sentences. This mod is notorious for being difficult to play for both the players and their computers, however personally, this is not that difficult.
It might take a few runs to get the hang of it, but when you do, you are able to do many fun things! Start a nuclear war, NATO vs BRICS (even though BRICS is an economic alliance), relive or change the course of many controversial events, or simply reestablish old countries.
#1 - Kaiserreich Redux
To no-one's surprise, Kaiserreich Redux takes the crown. The mod is incredibly easy to understand. The gameplay is immersive and highly interesting as it asks the question what would have happened if Germany had won WW1? The amount of lore behind the game is enough to write two movies and the amount of formable nations can make even Paradox Interactive jealous.
The game feels similar to the base HOI4 game, however the community will tell you otherwise, as a lot of the time, Kaiserreich Redux feels like a totally different game. This mod is fun and newbie-friendly, highly recommended for those who are looking to try HOI4 mods for the first time.
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