Hearts of Iron 4 is usually played in its default state: a World War II simulator with endless possibilities for alternative history outcomes. Its core gameplay offers nearly infinite variety, but what if we could take it even further?
Introducing: mods. Since the game’s release in 2016, the Hearts of Iron 4 modding community has been hard at work, creating everything from Star Wars adaptations to adding more chins to Hirohito. Some mods are just cut from a different cloth, completely overhauling the game in their own image. These are some of the best mods in Hearts of Iron, but keep in mind it is not an exhaustive list.
How to Download Mods
To get started with modding in Hearts of Iron 4, ensure you have the game downloaded and then head to the Steam Workshop. You’ll be able to browse by the most popular, most subscribed, most recent, or by a variety of tags. Once you find a mod that you’re happy with, click on it and scroll down to the green subscribe button. Click that, and the mod will automatically be downloaded to your game. It may take a few minutes, depending on the size of the mod.
Open up the Hearts of Iron launcher, and select playsets on the left. You’ll see a list of every mod you have installed and any potential warnings. If there’s no warnings, just click enable to activate it.
Now, head back to the home tab, and before clicking play, be sure to choose the appropriate playset. By default, “Initial playset” will be where your mods are. If you do not choose the correct playset, your mods will not work.
The Best Alternate History Mods in Hearts of Iron 4
Have you ever wondered how, if a few things had gone differently, the world might be completely different? These mods explore alternative history outcomes from World War 1 and World War 2.
Kaiserreich
Kaiserreich is the gold standard of alternate history mods. It explores a world where Germany emerged victorious in World War I, plunging players into a 1936 that is stunningly intriguing. You’ll encounter a Syndicalist France, a crumbling American colossus, and a dangerously overstretched German Empire. With rich lore, a dynamic political system, and thousands of events, Kaiserreich feels like an entirely new game set in an alternate universe.
Road to 56 is a fan-favorite for players who want to expand Hearts of Iron IV without veering completely into alternate history with an overhaul like Kaiserreich. It enhances the core game with more content and adds depth through extended timelines and heavily reworked focus trees. Each game promises to be a unique experience, thanks in part to the new focus trees. Whether you’re looking to explore alternate scenarios in an extended timeline or seeking variety in your campaigns, this mod has something for you.
Road to 56 expands on the German National Focus tree quite a bit.
The Best Alternate Time Period Mods in Hearts of Iron 4
What if Hearts of Iron 4 wasn’t about World War 2? These mods explore the idea of beginning the game in a different time period, including a new map, technologies, and focus trees to provide a completely revamped experience.
Darkest Hour
Presumably taking inspiration from Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game, the Darkest Hour mod changes the start date to 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression. Players will have to navigate the rising extremist attitudes in Europe and a poor global economy as the world ramps up for World War 2. Darkest Hour also has updated map and interface graphics that really immerse you in the gritty environment of the 1930s. Although this is only 3 years back from the typical starting scenario, it can lead to a drastically different game.
The Great War is a complete overhaul of Hearts of Iron 4, shifting the focus from World War 2 to World War 1. Starting in 1910 and extending into the 1920s, it offers a deeply authentic historical experience within the framework on a normal Hearts of Iron game. At the beginning of the war, infantry will be the bulk of most armies before new technologies take to the field. The Great War team takes a lot of pride in the mod, building a World War 1 experience that could have been designed by Paradox themselves.
Millennium Dawn transports players to the modern era, with a start date in 2000 and custom events based on real events in our timeline. The amount of new mechanics make it feel like an entirely different game. These include a sphere of influence similar to the Victoria games, the European Union, a space program, and more! If you’ve ever wanted to explore modern alternate history scenarios, than Millennium Dawn is for you.
Note: Millennium Dawn used to support a 2017 start date, but support for it has been abandoned. You can technically still use it, but it will not receive updates.
Europe, The Middle East, and North Africa in Millennium Dawn’s default start date
The Best Fictional Universe Mods in Hearts of Iron 4
Maybe alternate history or replaying different variations of a world war isn’t for you. In that case, these mods take you to entirely new, fully fleshed out worlds, redefining what’s possible in Hearts of Iron 4.
Old World Blues
Set in the post-apocalyptic universe of Fallout, Old World Blues is a total conversion mod that turns Hearts of Iron into a Fallout strategy game. The entire game map is contained within North America, with a start date in 2275. There’s too many changes to reasonably list here, but a major selling point is an improved AI which makes every campaign a bit more dynamic. Even if you don’t have much interest in Fallout, Old World Blues is still worth trying out as a fully unique experience.
Equestria at War is another total conversion mod — this time, it transports players to the universe of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and is specifically set after the Nightmare Moon fractures Equestria. As you might guess, it’s set in a darker world than the children’s animated TV show, with industrialization, politics, and war taking center stage. The central conflict of the mod is a battle between Changelings and Equestria.
The country selection screen for Equs in Equestria at War
Mods are a fantastic way to add some more variety and explore new worlds in Hearts of Iron 4. Do you have a favorite mod that didn’t make the list? Share it in the comments below!
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Lucky Boop
Strategy game enthusiast, especially Paradox titles and the Civilization series. Whenever he's not writing he spends his time watching sports, enjoying coffee, or studying history.
