Content Type: Gaming Guides
No Steps Back and the Barbarossa update introduced a new way to specialize your military with the Officer Corps. This powerful tool allows you to manage your high command, generals, and doctrines in one location. The main benefit of the officer corps, however, is the introduction of spirits.
Spirits are potent boosts that you can apply to each branch of your military in exchange for Army Experience. Keep in mind when selecting a spirit that you can only have one of each type active at once.
Army Command
Here you will manage your Chief of Army, land doctrine, and your army spirits. Army section gives you a unique option over the other military branches — the ability to select a preferred tactic. Selecting a preferred tactic increases the chance it will appear in combat by 25%. Army spirits are divided into three sections, each providing boosts to different aspects of the army.
Army Spirits
Spirits in this section will provide bonuses to your army officers. They each cost 20 Army Experience to activate.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Academy Scholarships | Army Leader Cost: -30% Starting Army Leader Level: +1 Commander as Advisor cost: -75% New officers have no personality traits when hired | Ideology:  Communist |
 Best of the Best | Starting Army Leader Level: +2 Army Intelligence to others: -5% New officers have no personality traits when hired | Ideology:  Democratic |
 Bold Attack | Officers have a 50% chance to gain +1 Attack on level up | None |
 Embrace the Future | New officers have a 50% chance to start with the Armor Officer Trait Panzer Leader trait XP gain: +20% | Doctrine:  Mobile Warfare |
 Engineering Schools | New officers have a 50% chance to start with the Engineer Officer trait. Engineer trait XP gain: +20% Fortress Buster and Scavenger trait XP gain: +10% | Doctrine:  Superior Firepower |
 Inventive Leadership | Trickster, Commando, Naval Invader trait XP gain: +20% New Officers: 50% chance to begin with one of Trickster, Commando, or Naval Invader | None |
 Meticulous Preparation | Officers have a 50% chance to gain +1 Planning and Logistics on level up | None |
 Political Loyalty | Military Leader Cost: -50% Party Popularity Stability: +15% New officers start with either the Politically Connected or the Media Personality trait. | Ideology:   Fascist or Non-Aligned |
 Tenacious Defense | Officers have a 50% chance to gain +1 Defense on level up. | None |
 The Queen of Battle | New officers have a 50% chance to start with the Infantry Officer trait. Infantry Leader trait XP gain: +20% | Doctrine:  Mass Assault |
 Theatre Training | New Officers: 50% chance to start with either the Brilliant Strategist or Inflexible Strategist trait. All terrain traits XP gain: +20% | Doctrine:  Grand Battle Plan |
This spirit has a selection of battalion bonuses and miscellaneous enhancements for your army. It costs 35 Army Experience to activate one.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Professional Officer Corps | Army Experience: +5% Daily Command Power: +0.20 Land Doctrines Cost -5% | None |
 Proper Heritage | Supply Penalties on Cored Territory: -20% Cavalry Attack: +5% Cavalry Unit Design Cost: -100% | None |
 Elevated Engineering Corps | Entrenchment Speed: +10% Railway Gun Bombardment: +5% Engineer Company Unit Design Cost: -100% Engineer Trait XP GainL +25% | None |
 Quick Improvisation | Planning Speed: +20% Daily Command power: +0.20 Command Abilities Cost: -20% | None |
 Relief of Command | Army Experience Gain: +25% Army Advisor Cost: -50% | Ideology: Democratic |
 Ideological Loyalty | Weekly Manpower: +500 Encirclement penalty: -20% | Ideology: Communist |
 State serves the Military | Political Power: +10% Conscription Laws Cost: -25% | Ideology: Fascist |
 Tip of the Spear | Naval Invasion Capacity: +10 Extra Paratrooper and Marine Supply Grace: +24 Hours Naval Invasion Planning: +20% Marine, Mountaineer, and Paratroop Unit Design Cost: -100% | Doctrine: Grand Battle Plan |
 Overwhelming Firepower | Doctrine: Superior Firepower | |
 Bayonet Strength | Doctrine: Mass Assault | |
 Motorization Drive | Doctrine: Mobile Warfare |
Spirits of Division Command offer boosts to your battle stats and increase the chance of using specific tactics. Each spirit costs 50 Army Experience to activate.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Static Warfare | Entrenchment speed: +10% Max Entrenchment: +10% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100% | None |
 Flexible Organization | Divisions speed: +5% Organization Loss when Moving: -15% Preferred Tactics Selection cost: −15 | None |
 Aggressive Reconnaissance | Reconnaissance: +15% Intel from combat: +15% Chance of Infiltration Assault Tactic: +100% | None |
 Reserve Officers | Division training time: -15% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100% | None |
 Victory or Death | Organization loss when below 25%: -15% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100% | None |
 Logistical Focus | Doctrine: Grand Battleplan | |
 Smoke and Fire | Breakthrough: +5% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100% | Doctrine: Superior Firepower |
 Operational Reserves | HP: +10% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100% | Doctrine: Mass Assault |
 Maneuver Warfare | Divisions Speed: +5% Coordination: +5% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100% | Doctrine: Mobile Warfare |
Naval Command
This section lets you manage your Chief of Navy, naval doctrine, and three naval spirits. Similar to the army spirits, the naval spirits are divided into three sections, designed to enhance different aspects of your navy.
Naval Spirits
Spirits in this category will improve your admirals. The cost to activate one is 20 Navy Experience.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Instilled Aggression | Admirals have a 20% chance to gain +1 Attack on level up | None |
 Calculated Restraint | Admirals have a 20% chance to gain +1 Defense on level up | None |
 Signals Training | Admirals have a 20% chance to gain +1 Maneuvering and Coordination on level up | None |
| Academy Scholarships | Navy Leader Cost: -40% Starting level of new navy leaders: +1 New Admirals have no personality traits gained on hiring | None |
| Best of the Best | Starting level of new navy leaders: +2 -5% Navy intelligence to others New Admirals have no personality traits gained on hiring. | None |
 Grand Fleet | Superior Tactician trait XP gain: +20% Ironside trait XP: +20% New Admirals have a 50% chance to begin with the Gunnery Expert trait. | Doctrine:  Fleet in Being |
 Convoy Warfare | Sea Wolf trait XP gain: +20% Blockade Runner trait XP: +20% New Admirals have a 50% chance to begin with the Sea Wolf or Blockade Runner traits. | Doctrine:  Trade Interdiction |
 Integrated Air Arm | Fleet Protector trait XP: +20% Air Controller trait XP: +20% New Admirals have a 50% chance chance to begin with the Aviation Enthusiast trait. | Doctrine:  Base Strike |
These spirits help you improve your ships before they are deployed to battle. Activating one costs 35 Navy Experience.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Jeune École | Destroyer Research Speed: +20% Light Ship Design Cost: -60% | None |
 Flexible Contracts | Cruiser Design Cost: -60% Naval Designer Cost: -80% | None |
 Integrated Designers | Ship Modules Research Speed: +20% Naval Research Speed: +20% | None |
 Naval Reform | Navy Experience: +15% | None |
 Naval Refit Yards | Ship Refitting Speed: +25% Ship Repair Speed: +15% | None |
 Global Presence | Battleship Research Speed: +20% Heavy Cruiser Research Speed: +20% Heavy Ship Design Cost: -60% | Doctrine: Fleet in Being |
 Submarine Primacy | Submarine Research Speed: +20% Submarine Design Cost: -60% | Doctrine: Trade Interdiction |
 Mobile Force | Carrier Research Speed: +20% Carrier Design Cost: -60% | Doctrine: Base Strike |
This section provides boosts to your navy when they are in battle. It will cost 50 Navy Experience to activate one.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Close Combat | Screen Attack: +5% Torpedo Screen Penetration: +5% | None |
 Night Fighting | Night-Time Attack: +10% Night-Time Spotting: +10% Visibility: -5% | None |
 Efficient Communications | Positioning: +15% | None |
 Inclement Weather Experience | Bad Weather Penalty: -40% | None |
 Brave Commanders | Retreat Decision Chance: -5% Critical Hit Chance: +15% | None |
 Bureau of Ordnance | Torpedo Hit Chance: -10% | Country:  United States |
 Decisive Battle | Naval Hit Chance: +10% Retreat Decision Chance: -10% Fleet Speed while Retreating: -10% Torpedo hit Chance: +10% | Doctrine: Fleet in Being |
 Surface Raiders | Retreat Decision Chance: +10% Fleet Speed while Retreating: +10% Screening Bonus with only capital ships: +20% | Doctrine: Trade Interdiction |
 Surprise Attacks | Retreat chance after initial combat: +10% Retreat speed after initial combat: +10% | Doctrine: Base Strike |
Air Force Command
Last but not least, we have the Air Force section of the officer corps. As you might expect, here you can manage your Chief of Air Force, air doctrine, and your air force spirits. Unlike the other sections, however, you only get two spirits to choose from here.
Air Force Spirit
This category of spirits is focused on researching and designing new aircraft. They cost 50 Air Experience to enable.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Independent Air Force | Air Advisor Cost: -75% | None |
 Industry Liaisons | Light, Medium, Heavy, and Naval Aircraft Research Speed: +15% | None |
 Effective Training Programs | Air Wing Training Experience: +25% | None |
 Branch Independence Spirit | Air Experience Daily Gain: +0.1 Airforce Intelligence to others: -5% | None |
 Air Crew Surveys | Air Accidents Chance: -25% Air Doctrine Cost:-15% | None |
 Industrial Destruction | Heavy Aircraft Research Speed: +5% Strategic Bomber and Jet Strategic Bomber Design Cost: -75% | Doctrine:  Strategic Destruction |
 Dive Bombing | Close Air Support Research Speed: +5% Close Air Support Design Cost: -75% Carrier Close Air Support Design Cost: -75% | Doctrine:  Battlefield Support |
 Material Destruction | Tactical Bomber Research Speed: +5% Tactical Bomber and Jet Tactical Bomber Design Cost: -75% | Doctrine:  Operational Integrity |
These spirits provide general bonuses to your air force. Each one of these also costs 50 Air Experience to activate.
Spirit | Effects | Requirements |
 Battlefield Air Interdiction | Escort Efficiency: +5% Ground Attack: +5% | None |
 Veteran Air Instructors | Air Wing Experience loss when defeated: -25% | None |
 Centralized Control | Fighter Detection: +10% Air Mission Efficiency: +10% | None |
 Home Defense | Air home defense: +10% | None |
 Air Power Projection | Air power projection: +10% | None |
 CAG Night Fighting | Carrier night penalty reduction: +33% | Country:  United Kingdom |
 Steel Wings, Steel Hearts | Untrained Pilot Penalty: -33% | Ideology: Communist |
 Total Devastation | Strategic Bombing: +10% | Doctrine: Strategic Destruction |
 Continuous Strike | Air Support Mission Efficiency: +25% | Doctrine: Battlefield Support |
 Massed Strike | Air Superiority: +5% | Doctrine: Operational Integrity |
The officer corps provides a great quality-of-life feature for managing the direction of your military in a single location, and spirits are a powerful tool to add to your arsenal while preparing for war. Optimizing spirits to fit your goals and military composition can give you an important edge in Hearts of Iron IV.
