Hearts of Iron IV: Tutorial for Complete Beginners! - 4/7

Everything you need to play the world's best World War II strategy game, from running your country, developing your economy, commanding your units, and waging war! Check out the full playlist: • Hearts of Iron IV: Tut...
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New to the channel? I do Let's Play videos -- these are like walkthrough guides of gameplay with continuous English commentary trying to explain my decisions and what strategy I use. If you're looking for hacks or cheats, you're in the wrong place!

[@WaffleShortage]

"don't stress your brain about it." like 2 hours into a tutorial and we haven't even actually hardly unpaused the start of the game lmao

[@jasond5140]

True 😂

[@zoshida]

explaining every single menu at once instead of explaining as you go 💀

[@richardm.4227]

These videos should be linked as an official tutorial.

[@arneholtedahl7459]

Yeah

[@nicholasbrassard3512]

you had 420 likes, im sorry i ruined such a great number of likes XD

[@Benbobr]

Disagree, could be shortned to a 5 min video

[@ahmadsido5845]

@@Benbobr no 15 seconds

[@voteZDLR]

@@Benbobr There's no way he could have condensed all of this information into a five minute video. If he took a more rapid-fire approach with editing and bullet points and not going into real depth on anything he may be able to do 12-15 minutes, but honestly it's not that big of a deal to watch 7 35-40 minute videos. These games are unbelievably deep, more deep than most games, which give them basically unlimited playing potential but you do have to put in the work to understand the game in the first place. This is the case with just about all of Paradox's games.

[@Liz.wils0]

I didn't understand 90% of this game until this series and now I feel like I might be able to do some stuff

[@Liz.wils0]

general update my invasion of Europe was successful this time around!

[@driss3946]

@@Liz.wils0 We're all proud of you fam.

[@jruss609]

I absolutely love PDX games (and the complexity and depth of play is something I do really enjoy) but goodness gracious, sometimes I wish it were easier to get into the games... ha

[@jmk3723]

@@jruss609 yeah lol, this game looks easy to play and whatnot but then actually trying to play it turns out very challenging and time consuming. like i wish there was a sandbox mode where you can make any troop fight any other troop and then learn how to fight and see what works best. Cause i played through the tutorial in the game and the most combat it has you do is take over ethiopia with terrible ground forces.... literally taught me once how to make a front line but no fallback, yes an offensive front, not to make any meaningful troops and so on

[@Microphunktv-jb3kj]

​@@driss3946 god damn commie... :DD is this game popular in multiplayer? the way the mechanics are designed, it seems this paradox game is way more MP viable than their other titles... allies vs axis you know... seems like Germany and Russia are the carries in games and other countries are played like as supports... Well that's how i see it anyways, wish me luck convincing my friends to play this game lol ; ]

[@eriknoworries]

I will buy HoI because of this tutorial. Paradox should sponsor your efforts

[@hookowl9527]

eriknoworries yeah me too

[@shietnewfeature.delethethis]

Same

[@argonmitternacht6737]

Seriously, this series is very informative. So much so that these videos should be in place of the current tutorial in game. :)

[@NiceGriffin]

Same for me

[@ArchangelTyrael]

eriknoworries They gave him the game for free so the have sponsored him already.

[@bigbrainbros2412]

Yes, finally, i can get better at wasting my life

[@Kardamitiano]

Are you still wasting it?

[@jibblyjenkins5212]

I mean, you get to learn a lot of geography.

[@ItsLofty101]

@@jibblyjenkins5212 Very useful lol (plus, this is basic geography so meh)

[@brandonk.4864]

@@jibblyjenkins5212 You might learn the wrong geography considering the accuracy of hoi4 maps lmao

[@Ben-yo1mv]

@@jibblyjenkins5212 yeah you get to learn about countries from 80 years

[@nothelios283]

"We are 0% hard... hihi"

[@Fnorder23]

Quill, you should get Paradox sponsorship doing these - you've actually made me reinstall HoI and buy MtG! Great series!

[@bestrafung2754]

Same, his tutorials on HOI4 are actually making me really want to play it now. They are very helpful!

[@dave90046]

I wanted to take the time to say thanks for posting these. There literally was no way I could have played this game without these videos. You cleared up a heck of a lot of questions already.

[@TeikevanBaden]

From being overwhelmed at the start of a game, to conquering Europe, this tutorial has unlocked one of the coolest strategy games ever.

[@wreck1831]

I never comment on videos, this series has helped me a lot. Thanks for all you do!

[@antonijedjordjevic5545]

too

[@frocco7125]

Awesome!

[@Joze1090]

@@antonijedjordjevic5545 thank

[@OrthoAutist]

I have no idea how much of this I'm actually going to retain but thank you for putting together this series for us Paradox Noobs.

[@TheSoldo1]

8:12 "Captured as POWs or worse" *Creepy music accompanies* P e r f e c t

[@Wanthor26]

I cant stop to say thank you under every HoI 4 Tutorial.

[@Rammelith]

Hey Quill, great tutorial, a small correction, the organisation of a division is the average of all the batalions in the division, so tanks don't have negative organisation, it is just lower than the infantry already in the division and thus adding a tank batalion will lower the overall orginisation of the division

[@Zazume_]

I remember my first playthrough of this game (with that I mean the first time I managed to practically win the war by beating France, GB and the Soviets as Germany). I didn't know about the penalty you get when the equipment an existing division has differs too much from what their template dictates. So I just went ahead and edited my templates (without duplicating) every now and then, causing that all my divisions fought at only 50% power basically all the time. I still managed to beat the Soviets somehow (probably because I played on Easy difficulty), but it took ages until I made them capitulate. So I wanna stress that point out, even though it was already mentioned in this (absolutely amazing!) tutorial: When you make changes to a template, duplicate the template and make the changes on the new version, leave those changes to your new divisions and don't change the templates of divisions that you already have in the field. Believe me, that penalty is no joke. And your already existing divisions will fight much better with their old, but satisfied template.

[@nikhilprem7998]

I restarted my infantry equipment production so now I am stuck at very low efficiency and have no idea about this game lol

[@SeraphimEnjoyer]

for anyone currently watching the vid and seeing this dude's comment, he goes over what he is talking about at 18:20

[@asdfghjk2032]

This made me look through my garage for my computer I haven’t seems since 2017, fix it, and buy this game.

[@anon8586]

This made me, find the car I sold 5 years ago, steal it, fix it, drive 8 hours, find my hold CPU from my old computer, drive another 8 hours, find the old GPU to my old computer, drive 6 hours, find the rest of my computer, rebuild it, drive back 22 hours to my hometown, go to the store, buy a monitor, go to another store, buy a mouse, go to another store, buy a keyboard, drive home, put the keyboard, mouse, and monitor away, drive to the store, buy Windows disc, go to another store, buy a Windows setup guide and manual, drive home, accidentally break my monitor, call an ambulance for glass injuries, go to hospital, have surgical glass removal, spend a week recovering, take out a loan to pay my hospital bill, realize I don’t need a loan and I should get insurance, call an insurance company, wait 6-7 business days, get my insurance company to pay for the bill, survive crippling debt, go to the store again, buy a new monitor, setup my PC, setup Windows, install a browser, install Steam, make a Steam account, put money in my Steam wallet, wait for the Steam summer sale, and buy HOI4.

[@AniketSharma-do2wy]

@@anon8586 lol

[@maximef1]

I almost skipped the stats section thinking it'd be too dry for me, but I'm glad I sticked around IF ANYTHING because you explained super clearly defense vs breakthrough. Game changer there. Knowing what to put on a defensive line vs not.

[@alexanderg.9131]

Hands down, by far one of the best tutorials I've seen so far. Great Job!

[@edgargomez9488]

Thanks to you, many people can understand this game (Including me). BIG THANK YOU TO YOU SIR!

[@charlesschneider7769]

I made it through the first three videos and I could follow it fairly well. This suddenly got complicated haha, gonna have to watch this one a few times. Still a great tutorial don’t get me wrong. Love the work quill put into this

[@BobHerzog1962]

Pure Infantry will run into trouble holding the line agains tanks though. They should at least have some piercing stuff in the support, if not in the line. Esspecially against the AI Anti-Air works suprisingly well. It is cheaper than Anti Tank and also helps defend against enemy air.

[@peterknutsen3070]

Didn’t today’s beta patch nerf AA a little bit?

[@BobHerzog1962]

@@peterknutsen3070 The Balance change is in regards to it's function as AA though. Not in regards to it's anti-armor capabilities which from the 2nd tier AA onwards is quite good. It is even somewhat intended as poor mans anti armor since it only costs steel rather than steel and thungsten. It also relates to the use of AA guns as anti tank guns in certain sittuations during the war. The AA part is a nerf but a needed one. It is basically scaleing back from the current sittuation that basically is: Give every division a bit of ground AA and ignore enemy Air superiority (it will still be there for some time but their air units will die in such numbers that it is crippleing). Ant the poor man anti-tank is against most AIs and their armor compositions good enough. Esspecially when you use a few in line rather than just support. What you really want to avoid is the modifier telling you that your side has no unit that can pierce the attacking enemy tank division!

[@peterknutsen3070]

Gödeke Michels Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[@hperk209]

Dude this series is fantastic. Line-by-line, common-sense explanations of features as you're playing is the best way to learn, and that's what we've got here. THANK YOU! :D

[@mythical2551]

Thank you for making this. This is the first tutorial on division design that I actually understood. I might finally be able to win as Germany for once.

[@matthewatkinson2651]

This was the barrier that properly stopped me from playing but this video is so so helpful, as the rest of the series is I have watched so far. Gonna crack through the rest of them today before I start myself later this evening. Thanks a lot!

[@craiglesher6172]

So how does one make space marine divisions now?

[@jcrass2361]

Craig Lesher more grain for the commissar god?

[@sld1776]

Heavy TD in 13/4/1 division.

[@ravinscriptz2513]

You know what is so good about this sieres is that you explain everything single bit that’s why I think it’s really great and helped me a lot to understand the game and how it works

[@Taffer9876]

I am going to purchase this game today. Only because I can follow this tutorial. Well, as best I can. I have Europa, but I am so lost on that with religion and stuff. I will give this a try. And it is on sale as well.

[@ltmandar]

I am new to this genre. Thanks Quill for making these tutorials

[@_placeholder]

I've watched up to half way through this one and I'm really enjoying these , but I think it's really funny how much time I've invested to learning it vs time spent with the clock ticking haha. Anyway great series man, I'm enjoying it. I watched your Imperator Rome 1.3 vid too and it got me pretty keen to try it out someday. Just got hoi4 and all the dlc today so its been really good having a video that shows a proper overview.

[@localman9063]

Jeez!! So much in-depth information! I'm still taking it all in but wow!! I would've been playing this game aimlessly if I hadn't watched this tutorial series. Most especially this particularly video.

[@Thepornstar97]

paradox should pay you for these tutorials. I've had this game for a long time now and haven't gotten into it. Now I can't wait. Props quill18, well done!

[@teej9619]

Fantastic tutorial! I was about to return the game until I saw this series- Thank you!

[@ganderson3461]

Seconding all the comments about how good these videos are. Your videos got me into EUIV and now this video is getting me into HOI4 proper after giving up after a couple of goes.

[@mrdickguy]

I almost wanted to give up this game. Thx for making these videos!

[@pandacheese7046]

I've played a lot of strategy games and this one here really gives me a hard time. Just got a few days ago and can't thank you enough for this tutorial

[@Masterchieftsh]

Thank you for helping me learn this game. It is very helpful!

[@SuperDoggy99]

Ultimately, the best way to learn how to play HoI IV is to sit down with the game and spend the necessary time reading the interface and experimenting with the mechanics--which is what I did a year ago, and had a great deal of fun with the game as a result. But HoI IV's mechanics, like many Paradox games, are easy to forget over time if it's been a while since playing. Thanks for the refresher course, Quill18 ... much appreciated!

[@nicholastimperio4133]

Great job. This was a big help to a beginner who was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

[@bobsmithgofish]

This is great :D - like others, I'm surprised I'm still watching after four videos but they're all informative ^^ I'm a player of HOI 2 and HOI 3, but HOI 4 takes mechanics from each and then throws production lines and an actual division designer/RPG-like level up screen for your units xD Thank you very much for the videos ^_^

[@aidanderson53X]

Thanks for convincing me to buy the game and helping me figure out how to play it rather than picking it up an dropping it twice before playing it like I did with CK2

[@matthewsprouse6378]

you are amazing for taking the time to make these I probably would've given up on hoi4 if it wasn't for this series

[@stealthdiamond6272]

I just wanna say that this game is complex until you get told about what everything is and does!

[@joeMFG]

thanks for this, looking forward to finishing this series tonight, and losing my life this weekend!

[@HazmanFTW]

wow this is so good. i've put maybe 30 hours into HoI4 and wasn't getting combat, this really helped. I'm pretty overwhelmed still haha

[@DavetheAvatar]

I am a complete beginner but this tutorial has been really helpful. I admit I had to take a break in watching it though. Spent a day or two playing and trying what I learned then came back to learn a little more. There is just SO much if you want to really learn the game.

[@nikhilprem7998]

This is the video I needed Thank you so much man!!

[@satellitefeed1665]

quill18 is a natural. He is the best!

[@seraphinhesse9834]

great series!! thanks so much i was so lost

[@Warmaliini]

Also the first mechanised tech adds hardness to your normal trucks so you should research it even if you don't plan building any.

[@shimky301]

Excellent explanations, Quill!

[@Fifisgarden127]

In all honesty, this was the video where I spaced out for the majority of it😭😭😭

[@SvenDoes]

These video's are amazing, i'm new and this helped a lot.

[@stamasd8500]

Very nice. I've been playing HOI4 for a couple of years, and watching many videos thereof. And yet about 50% of this video was new information to me.

[@Patriotcanon]

Just bought the game on sale last week. This should be required training. Awesome job with the videos!

[@MultiMaulana123]

You did a great job making this tutorial

[@Peterishd]

As a ww2 history nerd, HOI always seemed interesting but far too complex. thanks a lot for the videos, they are really helping. They should just embedd these videos into the games tutorial section. Will start my first campaign as Germany and try to implement things learned.

[@kaiser1832]

when I first played this game I was like what???? but now bc of this series I feel like I can play the game now, Thanks quill!

[@swiftyteo3663]

Amazing tutorial that is just the summary of these videos

[@paulobuenobruno3423]

Much much better than the game’s tutorial! Congrats and tks!

[@jaya6388]

Thanks for making these & explaining the concepts of the game in a helpful understandable way champ. I've invested many hours in this game keep getting pissed & erasing it. But something keeps drawing me back to it. Initially made no sense whatsoever, but so far (and I've watched from the 1st) you've taught me a lot. There's another game I've got that is similar in genre, Crusader Kings 2 I think is the name, do you have a similar guide for that game?

[@illuminatidorito4029]

It's sad to see how the views go down from tutorial to tutorial hahaha, you can feel the people giving up... Great tutorials man, thanks so much!!

[@MeridionWanderer]

Bought and installed game like 3 hours ago, still watching tutorial before starting to actually play game :D, and I am veteran of Crusaider Kings 2 and Stellaris xD Love paradox games

[@TheRosterGuy775]

I'm new to the game. I'm a HUGE HUGE history nerd. Been playing Total War series since 2006ish so I'm not new to strategy and turn based games but this is my first Paradox game in the genre. I'm usually the type to skip tutorials and figure it out on my own... Never again. Ive played the tutorial, I've watched videos (all yours plus others) and I still feel how my grandpa would have felt trying to use an iPhone. That sounds like it would be negative, and I'd be lying if I say I haven't gotten extremely frustrated to this point. But then I realized thats because of the extraordinary depth and historical accuracy as well as just the sheer amount of control you have over your nation. Even tho 3 days in I still can't seem to grasp how to correctly build up in the first 2-3 years leading up to the action. I struggle with manufacturing, construction, troop deployment, and have yet to actually attack anyone yet 😂. So I just decided to play with France with the only goal of not leaving the door of the Ardennes wide open for GER to march right on into Paris. And I succeeded!! Well, with cheats.... But ya gotta start somewhere. But thanks for the videos because I wouldn't have even been able to do that had it not been for your vids

[@grigorigahan]

Paradox games are some of the most rewarding games in existence, but damn are they hard to get into. In a gaming culture where your expect to be in the heat of the action in 10 minutes, pd games are like "Nah, how bout you go spend three hours in yt tuts and then come back." I agree through this series is absolutely fantastic.

[@brandond8440]

Keep them going

[@hugemagicwand]

Echoing the other comments but thank you there is no way I would have been able to understand a fraction of this game without your tutorials!

[@ramstrikk3149]

You're amazing, I'm an ultra noob and your series is very helpful

[@lordhaw]

Paradox's 'tutorials' are not great. It worked OK in Stellaris but not in HoI4. I was very confused but was able to figure out a few things. Then I watched your first 3 videos and so much was made clear. I was able to confidently build my nation up to the start of hostilities so far with no issues. Now I will be watching the rest of your videos to figure out the rest. Thanks for doing these, they are clear and easy to follow and help a great deal in learning how to play.

[@unitor699industries]

i am getting better in this game it's all about planning ahead

[@Dreadly]

4:16 "Yuri, it is my turn with the Mosin Nagant." A tale as old as time. Oh yeah, and don't run away.

[@krissnt]

I got to this point with your tutorials, cool game I thought. Im polish so i chose my nation, pre-war, was quite nice to spent this last christmas evening with some jack and coke playing this for like 3 hours maybe. Then war started, blitzkrieg. Total chaos, I stayed with some 3 battleships and just quit and went to bed to share with you this story:) hhaha

[@seangallagher9435]

The part with organization being more important to the survivability of divisions makes sense, cause there were so many men in an army that destroying all of them is kind of unheard of.

[@Mindcrackr]

First of all thanks for the tutorials! I have a question about this one though; why is adding support's to a division not increase the combat width?

[@jacobotstot2021]

Well if you think about it. Support is not front line infantry. Hence the name support.

[@j656]

Justice has been done. You tought well sir 🗣🕴✋

[@its_big_zzad3557]

Man u are amazing im now became a very pro player because I know that from one year and I see it at that time and remember u that u learned me how to play thank u so much for making this video I hope u will see this comment

[@johnburski790]

In your discussion of support units, you didn't cover the Logistics company. If I remember correctly, logistics is the study of getting the material necessary to fight to the people who are fighting. Any increase in logistical throughput increases a unit's ability to fight.

[@zombee8466]

All I understood was "sick, sick combo!" :-D just kidding, your videos paired with your explanation style are really helping. Thanks for that!

[@jacktalbot538]

When you edit using the division designer does that edit existing units in the field or those that are yet to be produced?

[@midairflyer]

great work. would like to make a suggestion. put an index up top in the description. like right now, i forgot how to combine 2 fronts, and i would prefer not to go thru that entire video again. :-)

[@JKitty843]

Been out of Paradox games for a while, forgot how much I loved your channel! Thanks for all these useful and entertaining videos!

[@allenrivera9744]

Didnt touch the game for like 2 yrs. just overwhelming didnt understand shit. Until finally giving it a shot after watching these series

[@tyranniccubone8259]

anyone who learns how to actually design divisions to accomplish the task they are use for, and set up a battle plan properly, will be in much better shape then the actual Soviet Union was, the only real life disadvantage the Soviet Union had that wasn't strategy based was that they didn't have enough supplies to equip all of their soldiers, also they would quickly execute all of their best generals for trying to make intelligent decisions so you wouldn't have generals either, however one disadvantage that is in this game that wasn't in reality was that in reality they didn't need all that organisation to never surrender, they may not have fought effectively but they fought to the death.

[@Crimethoughtfull]

SO COOL! We can design different types of Divisions...attack Inf or defensive Inf, etc, etc. Take a template and customize for the situation. Beautiful!

[@peterknutsen3070]

I find choosing Support Companies somewhat challenging, because I only have 5 slots, and so many bonus types to choose from. Even when I eliminate Artillery, AA and AT, because I can have those as ordinary Battalions, I’ve still got 6 or maybe 7 others to choose from, and only those 5 slots.

[@geoffe8951]

There are mods for up to 12 support companies. Also mods for sniper, armored and self propelled support companies.

[@ollie4398]

When you add a new unit type to a division does it automatically add it to the division if you have stocks of the equipment?

[@jackoneill3164]

When, if ever, do you use anti tank divisions, and what would a division with anti tank in it typically look like?

[@masonking648]

Thank you.

[@robertwhiteii3208]

So is it better to have artillery as a support unit or as part of the main division?

[@goowik3862]

At around 6 minutes you talk about the max speed and how motorized infantry moves faster. Is it possible to move your troops, leave them as a backup and use the trucks to pick up other troops?

[@darodism]

Hey, Why are the videos getting longer and more complex... Holymoly 2 hours + now.... I love it and hate it.... However, great explaining on everything... Should create a standard for any sort of teaching. I haven't forgotten a single thing and very thorough with everything you are. 10/10 so far my friend. Thank you.

[@khaledalbetar2264]

thank you

[@Mdhneo007]

I’m watching this whole series for a second time. I just played the tutorial and got defeated by Ethiopia....

[@christiano9743]

You are explaining things really well. Im now playing as Italy. I have already taken Ethiopia and all that. I also recently started a war. I dont know if it was bad or good decision. Well I started a war against Yugoslavia, but France and Britain joined on their side. So now I have troops defending a French invasion from the west side while I try to invade Yugo. I also have wars going on in Africa aswell. Is it wise to stop the war or do you suggest that I continue with my decision to invade yugo? I also have battles in Africa against Britan and France. Did I mess it up? I have plenty of ships at sea, and there is a french fleet attacking my submarine fleet outside Italy. How do I reinforce the submarine fleet with my other ships? Any good players that could help me with this situation?

[@ianharrison3189]

And as Churchill famously said "Our dudes will fight them on the beaches".

[@Me-cj1fo]

this is gem for me in 2024

[@alexanderrahl7034]

Is there a way for me to see my production power or whatever its called? Like, when you build a civilian factory, it says it costs like, 10400 of something. A wrench with an orange background. Is there a way I can check how much of that I make say, per day? Just helps a ton to be able to quantify

[@agactual2]

I think once you make sense of the the logic behind why the game is designed the way it is, it starts to seem a lot less complicated. For example, when he is saying that the divisions would become a lot less organized if they have missing equipment by saying that it's like you're telling your divisions to expect 5 tanks and to plan around that but then not give them the tanks. Suddenly the idea of not being massively behind on making equipment and the penalty you get makes a lot of since. The penalty is what would happen in real life, in WW2, if a Russian division was told to plan on getting a bunch of tanks and to create all of the logistics and organization and expectations around the idea of getting those promised tanks, but the tanks never arriving. It would be difficult to function properly, possibly even very difficult. And that is the consequence in the game. At least for me, when I really tried to understand the logic of the game by thinking of the real world WW2 representation it's trying to capture with it's mechanics, suddenly it really started to seem a lot less complication and abstract.

[@Theimpostor69420]

As a 12 year old i can confirm "we are 0% hard" was extremely funny

[@davidd.newkirk570]

That symbol is called the, "tilde" key of Hoi4. There are instant movement in Hoi4 troops and instant production cheats at cheadland.net

[@jackjenkins168]

God this is a lot of bloody information