Of all the unannounced strategy game sequels, Hearts of Iron 5 is the one I dream of most. Did you know that Hearts of Iron 4 was released almost eight years ago now? Time flies when you’re launching naval invasions, but HOI4 truly is getting old, and with age come calls for a replacement. Nothing has been confirmed or hinted at (yet), but I reckon it’s only a matter of time until HOI5 arrives – and I have some suggestions.
See, any potential Hearts of Iron 5 – like most Paradox grand strategy game sequels – faces a problem. After almost a decade of successive Hearts of Iron 4 DLC packs and updates, the current game is bursting with content, and just giving the same game a graphical tune-up won’t cut the mustard for a full-blown sequel. So where could Paradox look to further enrich one of the best WW2 games there is?
Simple: Victoria 3. The newest release in the Paradox grand strategy stable – set across the late 19th and early 20th centuries – has more of a focus on economics and political maneuvering, as opposed to being an outright wargame.
Its structure, though, houses some excellent potential additions to your World War 2 gameplay – and any Hearts of Iron 5 could learn a lot from its cousin. Here are five features in particular I think would rule.
Diplomatic plays – let the pen be as mighty as the sword
First up – a future Hearts of Iron 5 would greatly benefit from a proper, elaborate diplomatic system. The current system in Hearts of Iron 4 works – for the most part – but Victoria 3’s method feels much more organic and interactive overall. More war goal types, intervention, backing down: all of these and more would bring a flexible setup, able to augment many of the events you’ll encounter.
Imagine if the western allies intervened in the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland? What about the build-up to the war, where political maneuvering was key for both sides involved? Improved diplomatic systems would flesh out these meaty, non-combat challenges and give the player more agency to interact within their world.
Political parties – trouble on the home front
World War 2 was a struggle that epitomized great ideological differences between the involved alliances, as well as continuous domestic political strife that leaders had to keep a lid on while fighting abroad. Expanding the political side of leading a country towards conflict would be a great way to emphasize this, diversifying gameplay and adding additional flavour to your run.
It wouldn’t need a full transplant of Victoria 3’s political systems to achieve this – and copying V3 wholesale might not even be quite right – but a slightly toned down experience would work. Even when at war, there were often competing factions within the same government, chasing differing, sometimes conflicting goals.
Keeping these factions happy (or annoying them) could have impacts on war support or the stability of your nation. They could call for strikes in factories if annoyed, or call for war with a particular nation bordering you.
It would be a delicate balancing act of dealing with the various aspects of governing a nation embroiled in total war. Victoria 3’s system of political parties should be adapted to be a vehicle for many of these potential situations and stories that arise for a player to contend with.
Expanded trade systems – ‘your resources, give them to me’
Without resources you can’t fight a war, and trade was key to make up for any material shortcomings of the combatants. There is a basic trade mechanic currently in place in HOI4, but building in a more developed system would improve the overall experience in a substantive way.
Victoria 3 has plenty to offer that would help here. Market alliances, Tariffs, and goods prices, in particular, would tie in quite nicely with other economic and diplomatic improvements mentioned here. Critical war goods would need to be traded for or saved up in order to sustain your efforts on the battlefield and the home front.
This could help players to more effectively simulate crucial historical situations, such as Japan’s attempts to get access to oil and the western allies’ intrigue with Spanish Wolfram mines, amongst others.
Technological progress – solve (and cause) all life’s problems
The largest war in history was also a period of rapid technological progress. Many of today’s modern advances have their roots in WW2 – think about penicillin, computers, and the dawn of the nuclear age. Technology in HoI 4 matters currently, but doesn’t involve much player interaction, and this is where lessons can be learned from Victoria 3.
An improved technology system could do many things; Change your methods of production? Limit your resource use to certain types? Maybe focus on different military theories which would have more active interaction?
All these are splendid features in V3, and all could be brought over in HOI5 to allow technology to have genuine impact on things the player is doing, instead of leaving it as abstract as it is currently.
Expanded economy systems – $$$ go brrrr
Even on a war footing, a country doesn’t have infinite financial means to be able to prosecute its goals. World War 2 was the largest conflict in history and victory was achieved just as much by financial dominance as it was by military might.
A larger focus on the economic aspects of warfare would be hugely beneficial for Hearts of Iron 5, and Victoria 3 has the systems to push it in the right direction. Balancing the budget to afford the equipment and resources you need to equip and pay your military – or alternatively spending everything you have but leaving yourself in a precarious position long term (hi, Germany) – would add another highly relevant and satisfying strategic layer for us to keep on top of during the build-up to war.
A potential future Hearts of Iron 5 has inspiration to draw upon from its most recent Paradox historical grand strategy sibling. There’s potential to expand and innovate upon existing mechanics as well as incorporate new additions and Victoria 3 would be the perfect place to look for many of these. Let’s see what the future holds.
While we’re all waiting, why not review your Hearts of Iron 4 mods loadout? Alternatively, get off your screen and try our favorite war board games and miniature wargames.
Source: Wargamer
