Support companies are optional additions to division templates and are limited to a maximum of five per division template. These companies can improve the stats of the division and require 10 army XP to add.

It should also be mentioned that support companies do not affect the overall speed of the division.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

1. Engineer Company

Why Engineer Company is Great:

• Grants a great amount of defense to your division
• Allows your division to gain more in entrenchment
• Adds additional soft attack, hard attack, and HP

This is a must-have support company for any division template as it will allow your troops to both do offense and defense, though it does primarily focus on the latter. This support company can be upgraded later on in the research tree to provide even more entrenchment, allowing your troops to withstand any enemy attacks.

2. Support Artillery Company

Why Support Artillery Company is Great:

• Provides excellent soft attack
• Can serve as a substitute to any line artillery brigade
• Much cheaper to produce

Artillery remains king in the game, and support artillery finds itself in a great spot as its inclusion on any division template will notably increase the soft attack. Similarly, one of its excellent features is its relative cheapness to build, as a single support company will surely require less than compared to a line artillery brigade.

3. Logistics Company

Why Logistics Expert is Great:

• Reduces supply for the divisions using the correct template.
• Increases HP and breakthrough by a small amount
• Can be upgraded in the research tree for even more bonuses.

As mentioned before, logistics are key to winning a war, and it’s no different here in Hearts of Iron IV. A good support company can help reduce the supply and fuel usage of a division, leading to less stress on a supply hub.

This is also another must have as having your units properly fed and maintained is the best way of winning any war in an efficient and swift manner.

4. Maintenance Company

Why Maintenance Company is Great:

• Adds reliability bonuses to all equipment (including infantry, motorized, and armored)
• Allows you to gain 5% in equipment capture ratio (including planes)
• Can be upgraded later on along the research tree

Another great pick is the maintenance company, as if they’re included in a division, for the reliability of all equipment and the great chance of acquiring enemy equipment. Typically placed in a small nation’s hands, this support company has a large impact on being able to churn out the right amount of troops monthly.

5. Anti-Air Company

Why Anti-Air Company is Great:

• Reduces enemy air superiority
• Cheap to produce and maintain
• Increases a lot of the combat stats

While applicable to both major and minor nations, this support company is even more effective in the latter as it will reduce the enemy's air superiority without requiring much production on your end. Typically, a single factory is able to keep up with the demands of this support company, though its effectiveness is much less than what an anti-air brigade would bring.

6. Motorized Recon Company

Why Motorized Recon Company is Great:

• Provides great reconnaissance (second best)
• Gives additional defense (and a breakthrough)
• Easier to produce than tanks or armored cars

The reason why I went for motorized units rather than armored cars, despite the latter holding a larger reconnaissance value, is due heavily to the defense value that this support company brings. Additionally, its fairly high level of reconnaissance is key to giving your generals the initiative and allowing them to select the best battle plan for the situation.

7. Field Hospital Company

Why Field Hospital Company is Great:

• Mitigates losses due to unit casualties
• Includes trickleback support (excellent for recycling manpower)
• It suits any defensive army (especially those with limited manpower)

We’re now reaching the point of more niched picks (due to the limited amount of support companies that the game currently has). The field hospital company is great for maintaining the experience of a unit (and ensuring its combat bonuses still stick) and ensuring that lost manpower can still be obtained. This is excellent when you’re playing a nation with limited manpower but not so much in a major nation, hence why I called it a niche pick.

8. Military Police Company

Why Military Police Company is Great:

• Excellent suppression by itself
• Does not require much manpower when compared to a line brigade
• Gives suppression bonus (pairs well with Garrison divisions)

Now the Military Police Company only has a single task: suppress all rebels. That’s literally it. The main thing it has going for it is that it will give good suppression (dependent on the number of troops) on its own but also provide a 20% increase as well.

9. Signal Company

Why Signal Company is Great:

• Give strong initiative to your troops
• Provides breakthrough for your divisions
• Good pairing with armored divisions

Admittedly a lackluster pick, I find the signal companies excellent for accompanying armored divisions, though mostly in a role-playing format. This will pair well with a fast moving army or commander who would want to keep the enemy on the backfoot at all times. 

10. Anti-Tank Company

Why Anti-Tank Company is Great:

• Gives your troops some anti-armor capability for your troops
• Cheaper to maintain than a brigade
• Excellent hard attack and piercing

As the name suggests, the anti-tank company is used mainly to counter enemy armored divisions. They work well in small capacities but are unlikely to be as effective against large armored columns when compared to actual line brigades. Still, they are cheap to produce and can do well until you start producing large numbers of AT to truly turn the tide.

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