[Top 5] Hearts of Iron 4 Best Starting Nations (And Why)

Hearts of Iron 4, best nations, best, Germany, Soviet Union, USA, strategy

Updated:

17 Aug 2022

Who needs a life when you can conquer the world in Hearts of Iron 4?

Hearts of Iron 4, La Resistance DLC poster art

If you’ve just got Hearts of Iron 4 and don’t know what country to play, we’ve got you covered. The game can be a little intimidating for newbies because there are many things to manage and the game doesn’t always tell you what to do. The nation you’re going to be playing as has a huge impact on your HOI 4 experience. You can play as almost any nation that existed during the World War 2 era, including both major and minor world powers. Here’s what you need to know when choosing a starting nation in Hearts of Iron 4.

5. Japan

Here is your chance to put your katana to good use, will you be worthy of your Samurai ancestors?

The Land of the Rising Sun had an important role to play in World War II. As an island nation with a powerful navy, Japan is a relatively interesting nation to play in HOI 4. Assuming you’re going to follow a historical path, you’ll have about a year and a half before you go to war with China, giving you enough time to prepare your industry and your army for the war.

Japan has a good focus tree that lets you build up your industrial base. Several national focuses provide big boosts to the army and the navy. At some point you’re going to have to decide whether to focus on the army or the navy, depending on your overall strategy. The best thing about playing Japan is versatility: you will learn how to manage your navy, army, and air force and deploy your units against enemies. It is a good way to get a hang of the game mechanics and learn how to fight a complex war on land and sea and in the air.

Why Japan is great for new players:

As an island nation, you won’t have to worry about losing a war. Japan’s position gives you an advantage over your enemies
You will learn how to manage your navy, army, and air force
The war with China won’t be too demanding (if you choose to attack, that is) and your army will receive combat bonuses while China has large penalties that make it harder for them to resist you
A well-rounded focus tree and the ability to build a powerful industry

4. The UK

Blimey, mate! I can't even drink my morning tea in peace without those damn German airplanes buzzing over our heads! Welcome to Great Britain during the Blitz

Playing as the UK can be a little challenging but also rewarding at the same time. Similar to Japan, Britain is an island nation that relied on a powerful navy for defense and to project power abroad. You will have enough time to prepare for the war on the continent and a good enough industry to support aircraft production to resist the Germans. There are two essential things to focus on when playing as Britain: convoy escort and air production. To protect your supply and ensure your industry has the resources needed to maintain wartime production, you will have to use the convoy escort naval mission to protect your ships from enemy submarines. At the same time, you will maintain your dominion over the seas and even if Germany rules the continent, you will be protected from a potential invasion by a sizeable navy. Produce as many fighters as possible, you will need them to prevent enemies from achieving air superiority over Britain.

Protected by your navy and air force, you are free to continue building up your industry. Britain has a pretty good tech tree and the ability to produce excellent tanks. Even though navy management can become a bit tedious after a while, having command of the seas will yield many benefits.

Here’s what makes the UK a good choice for new players:

A great navy. If managed the right way, it will keep you protected from enemies, letting you build up your industry and your army
Access to an excellent tech tree. British fighter plains and tanks are among the best in the game
Britain’s many overseas territories and dominions will help you out in the war and you won’t have to worry about resources such as oil

3. Germany

Unleash your Panzer army on your enemies and dominate Europe! If you can take care of France, Britain, and the Soviet Union, that is.

According to Paradox, Germany is the most played nation in Hearts of Iron 4. Germany arguably has the best technology tree in the game and a powerful industrial base. That makes it a perfect country to build powerful armored divisions, as well as a large and deathly air force. The main focus will still be on land units, but your air force is equally important. Even before you go to war, you will be able to build a sizeable industry and as you absorb or conquer weaker neighbors, your civilian and military factory count will continue to grow. We recommend you pay extra attention to having enough fuel for your tanks. Build as many fuel silos as you can to prevent your tanks and aircraft from running out of gasoline. In addition, your shipyard can churn a decent number of submarines, called the U-Boats. They are cheap to produce and will wreak havoc on Allied ships on the high seas.

Providing you manage your fuel and manpower reserves wisely and research relevant tank and air tech, you’ll enjoy playing as Germany and have a good shot at claiming the ultimate victory.

Reasons to pick Germany for your first playthrough:

Great technology tree that lets you research state-of-the-art tanks and airplanes
Powerful industry
Plenty of weak neighbors to conquer and gain valuable combat experience
You can ally with Italy, as well as minors such as Hungary and Romania, who will support you during the war and trade resources for your industry

2. Soviet Union

Comrade! You have been tasked with making the entire map red. That is right, the world revolution must triumph, but first, make sure to stop the Germans from marching on the Red Square

The world’s only major communist nation in 1936 and the world’s largest country, the Soviet Union is a true giant. A territory spanning two continents, an abundance of natural resources, and a huge manpower base should be enough to get you started and build a gigantic industry needed to vanquish your enemies and bring about the world revolution. If megalomania isn’t your cup of tea, beating back the German invasion with your powerful tanks will do too.

The Soviet Union received a brand new focus tree, new tech, and 3D models as a part of the latest expansion titled ‘No Step Back.’ Keep in mind that you will have to manage the political sphere as well and get rid of the Trotskyists (if you choose to go down a historical path, that is) if you want to avoid a civil war. If you’re new to the game, we don’t recommend experimenting with alternative history paths. For your first playthrough, it’s wiser to focus on building up your army as the SU is probably the best nation to learn how land combat works.

You will have the test your troops’ mettle in the Winter War with Finland before the big showdown with Germany. With over 5 years to prepare for the war against the Germans, you should have enough time to prepare your army and your industry.

Here’s why the Soviet Union is an ideal choice for your first playthrough:

Good tech, plenty of manpower, and a great industry
The huge territory will make it easier for you to survive in a war
You can build tanks that can easily dominate the battlefield, even against Germany
It’s ideal for learning how to fight a land war and manage a large front

1. United States

The Yanks are coming! Can anyone resist the Screaming Eagles?

The USA starts the game with a whopping 127 civilian factories, more than any other nation in the game. Starting with so many civilian factories lets you build pretty much anything you want. By the time the war in Europe begins, you should already have an industrial base capable of producing an insane number of ships and airplanes. Protected by two vast oceans, you don’t need to worry about defending from enemies, as you will be knocking on their door long before they have anything to hurt you with. The US has an excellent technology tree, decent aircraft, and tanks, but as we already said, America’s biggest asset is the ability to outproduce enemies by a huge margin. Be sure to have enough light ships (destroyers and cruisers) for escort missions.

When you’re ready, you can take on Germany and Japan and build the Pax Americana.

This is what makes the USA the best nation for beginners: