Hearts of Iron IV- 'No Step Back' DLC

[ArizonaTank]

What really annoys me about HOI4 is the way the air war is handled. Why is it I can't unleash fighters, light bombers and tactical bombers on airfields to bomb planes on the ground? It happened in reality, but apparently it can't happen in HOI4! Strat bombers can reduce the operational use of airfields, but again can't destroy planes on the ground...

The other thing is that leaders are added for fleets/armies etc, but not for air fleets. No Bomber Harris, Ernst Udet, Hermann Goering or Hugh Dowding. This is really inconsistent with the approach taken with other forces in the game.

On the plus side the new Barbarossa update does add some interesting stuff will railways and transport hubs providing some challenging issues. However, trains now need military factories to produce and it'd have been nice if the number of factories limit per state was increased to cover production of things that previously weren't a consideration.

Another Air Force issue is that you can't send planes to an expeditionary force...the Germans and Russians sending air units to Spain for example. But they may have fixed that...not certain, haven't tried it yet.

[bobarossa]

You needed one of the dlcs for air volunteers.  Forget which one.

[Ian C]

You needed one of the dlcs for air volunteers.  Forget which one.

Waking The Tiger.

https://hoi4.paradoxwikis.com/Downloadable_content#Expansions

[Ian C]

What really annoys me about HOI4 is the way the air war is handled. Why is it I can't unleash fighters, light bombers and tactical bombers on airfields to bomb planes on the ground? It happened in reality, but apparently it can't happen in HOI4! Strat bombers can reduce the operational use of airfields, but again can't destroy planes on the ground...

There is an Op called 'Coordinated Strike'. You might have to own the La Resistance DLC to use it though.

Quote:

Coordinated Strike
Allows setting up air strikes and launching a surprise attack. This will let us simulate things like Pearl Harbor and the devastation that the Germans wrought on soviet air forces on the start of Barbarossa. Your agents prepare an area that will see a strong initial strike. You need to set up your air force missions before and when the operation triggers the strike will happen (and war declared if you are a nation allowed to do this). It works for port strikes and strategic bombing. When activated all prepared Port Strike and Strategic Bombing in the target region will execute multiple times without air defense being able to intercept them.

[al_infierno]

Not to be negative or anything, but all this talk of improving the depth and realism of HoI with all these bolted on mechanics makes me wonder what the game could have been if all this cool stuff had been baked into the game from its foundation.

[Grim.Reaper]

Not to be negative or anything, but all this talk of improving the depth and realism of HoI with all these bolted on mechanics makes me wonder what the game could have been if all this cool stuff had been baked into the game from its foundation.

Not the paradox way, plus to get it this much further has taken them 5 additional years so would have been a longer initial release date.

[jamus34]

nevermind

[Pete Dero]

nevermind

Nirvana.

[smittyohio]

Not to be negative or anything, but all this talk of improving the depth and realism of HoI with all these bolted on mechanics makes me wonder what the game could have been if all this cool stuff had been baked into the game from its foundation.

Not the paradox way, plus to get it this much further has taken them 5 additional years so would have been a longer initial release date.

The problem is they'll make a HOI V and leave out most of what they did with the IV DLC.    ;D

[al_infierno]

True that.

[Rayfer]

I have to say, I agree with much of the posted criticisms but.....all said and done I really enjoy the game and Steam says I have over 366 hours into it.

[Grim.Reaper]

Not to be negative or anything, but all this talk of improving the depth and realism of HoI with all these bolted on mechanics makes me wonder what the game could have been if all this cool stuff had been baked into the game from its foundation.

Not the paradox way, plus to get it this much further has taken them 5 additional years so would have been a longer initial release date.

The problem is they'll make a HOI V and leave out most of what they did with the IV DLC.    ;D

Yep, they have always done that so don't expect any changes...must do well with that model since they continue doing it

[Ian C]

I have to say, I agree with much of the posted criticisms but.....all said and done I really enjoy the game and Steam says I have over 366 hours into it.

I'm having the best game I've had in a long time with the new DLC and beta patch. Playing as UK in '36. It's now February 1942. My usual strategy to counter the Italian takeover of East Africa is to transfer Indian divisions from the British Raj and then hold them off. A combined Armoured force in North Africa usually pushes the Italians back and by 1940-41 I usually take all of Africa.
Not so with the new supply system.

My 24 UK and Indian divisions in North Africa on the Libyan border with Egypt was a near-disaster. The group was under-supplied (around 16% supply status for each division and resulting degradation in organisation) and the Italian force of around 8 divisions pushed them back and then started hacking down the disorganised and under-supplied units. I had to increase motorization of supply and fly air supply missions just to hold ground. It then turned into sporadic skirmishes and half-hearted offensives until 1941. By then I'd built rail links from Alexandria, which improved supply, and achieved naval superiority in central Mediterranean. I'd beaten most of the Italian navy in continued skirmishes, air attacks and a major naval battle, had significant Intel bonuses from high-level Radar in Malta and was picking off axis supply convoys to North Africa.
I used my Intel bonuses by activating the cracked Italian cyphers, gained air superiority and launched an aggressive planned thrust. It was an intense battle, it looked like I wasn't going to win until I gave the order for a Forced Attack and the enemy shattered. I finally broke the deadlock and pushed the Italians back to Benghazi. By then Greece had been attacked so I sent half the Indian force to mainland Greece to hold the mountains while the other half pursued the Italians west. I checked my Intel on Greece and saw they were going down a path of war with Turkey with their Focus Tree. Barbarossa was in progress, so a war might push Turkey over to the Axis, which means the Soviets would be fighting on the southern Caucasus front, in Georgia and Armenia.
I'm considering pulling out my Indian force so that Greece falls, to prevent a possible collapse of the Soviets if Turkey joins the Axis. It's not a strategic decision I've ever had to make in any other game before, but the Axis lines are not too distant from Moscow and I'm not taking any chances. It's also worth mentioning that winters and bad weather are now proving decisive in supply considerations, battles and operations.

All this being said, it's an awful lot of data to deal with and it's been a hugely long game so far. I'm playing on speed 2 to 3 and having to check every theatre constantly, but I am really enjoying it.

[ArizonaTank]

I have to say, I agree with much of the posted criticisms but.....all said and done I really enjoy the game and Steam says I have over 366 hours into it.

+1, over 200 hours for me.

[Ian C]

I have to say, I agree with much of the posted criticisms but.....all said and done I really enjoy the game and Steam says I have over 366 hours into it.

+1, over 200 hours for me.

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