Hearts of Iron IV Designer Guide

A recurring mechanic throughout Hearts of Iron IV are the various designers available in the game. While they are a core mechanic, there is almost no explanation of what to do with them once you are in the game. Hopefully, this collection of guides can be a valuable resource as you learn more about designers in Hearts of Iron IV.

Layout

Designers in Hearts of Iron share a similar layout, so once you’re familiar with one designer you are familiar with all of them. A core feature all designers share: the design components are always on the left side, and the stats are on the right. Design components are the various options you have when creating the design, which will vary from designer to designer.

Division Designer

The Division Designer has been in Hearts of Iron IV since the game was released, and it is arguably the most important one. It allows you to customize the division templates that will make up the entirety of your army. Fine-tuning divisions can be a game in of itself, as you juggle different battalion types, resource requirements, and support units.

Tank Designer

The Tank Designer was introduced in the No Steps Back DLC, allowing players to customize tanks to their heart’s content. This new designer allows virtually infinite possibilities compared to the previous one, which lacked any customization options. Tanks can be customized by selecting a chassis, and choosing modules to customize the tank to your exact specifications.

Ship Designer

The Ship Designer was introduced in the Man the Guns DLC — it lets you customize ships to fit your goals and industrial budget. The naval research tree, overhauled by the DLC, is now based around researching ship hulls and modules, instead of ships. This guide covers interface changes and the new hull mechanics that govern ship designing.