We might be waiting a bit longer than normal for the next full-scale Hearts of Iron 4 expansion, but Paradox has been collaborating with established modders to bring a fresh overhaul to the Kingdom of Romania. Expanding on its focus trees to give the nation much more additional depth, this latest project will let you determine whether you favor traditional agriculture and your long-standing population, or push firmly for industry and expansion as you attempt to become a Balkan behemoth.
Here to walk us through what’s new in this Romania focus pack is modder ‘Norrman,’ who has been working alongside fellow developers ‘Marjin’ and ‘Alex’ on the project. They’ve been playing Hearts of Iron 4 “since about a month after the game’s release,” and have “a bit over four years” of modding experience with it. From the start of 1936, what was known as Greater Romania “was practically at the peak of their territorial expansion,” incorporating the likes of Hungarians, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, and Russians under their flag, Norrman explains. Integrating those people, however, would prove much more difficulty.
This creates a nation that both needs to prepare for various potential future conflicts across multiple fronts, and also is desperate to modernize and industrialize from an almost entirely rural, agriculture-led economy. The Romania focus pack aims to capture all these aspects within the scope of the grand strategy game. On the political side, you set out with alliances in your favor – both the Little Entente with Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and the Balkan Pact that incorporated Romania, Greece, Turkey, and Yugoslavia.
Before you can think about how you’re going to handle the countries around you, you’ll need to tackle the internal structure, and the split between the ‘Old Kingdom’ predating World War I, and the ‘New Kingdom’ of more recently acquired territories. Will you prioritize your history, or attempt to invest more heavily in supporting your newer regions? Norrman notes that historically, Romania’s approach was to shuffle rapidly through four distinct ideologies to meet its needs at each point in time, and the Historical branch of the tree supports this path.
The alternative option is to adopt a much more radical change. This could involve focusing on an expansion to the Iron Guard, Romania’s revolutionary, fascist faction, which would come at the expense of the existing monarchy. Success here would allow you to demand a referendum and force regime change, although it certainly won’t prove popular among certain parts of the country. From there, you’ll have two distinct paths, one of which is teased as a way to dominate the Balkans alongside any regions who share your ideology.
On the industrial side, you’ll need to decide how to pull Romania out of potential “economic turmoil.” Sticking to your established agriculture will benefit the nation’s people right now, and could firm up the foundations for future industrialization. But can you afford to wait that long? What if instead you push for immediate, rapid industry, aiming to secure your position in the geopolitical climate as quickly as possible even if it comes at the expense of short-term growth?
The Balkan Industrialist branch is designed to let you focus more on “navigating the political landscape or building up your military without getting bogged down in economic management.” It does this through a shorter but faster industry path, giving you the essentials right out of the gate at the cost of gambling on your long-term economic potential. Powerful early bonuses will bolster your production through peacetime while you focus on establishing your diplomatic presence. “Once war breaks out, Romania has unique ways to mobilize its industry to face the storm head-on.”
If you prefer to dig in a little deeper and aren’t afraid of the more complex side of HoI 4 economics, you can embrace Romania’s legacy as the “Breadbasket of Europe.” There’s a major mechanic involved here that Paradox isn’t giving away quite yet, though Norrman notes the system “was adjusted and improved based on your feedback.”
What you will definitely be able to do is establish reforms to allow army recruits to return to farming during peacetime, lifting some of the friction between agriculture and military. You’ll find fewer ‘free’ factories, but can earn “massive bonuses to trade and plenty of extra building slots.” You’ll also have “the freedom to greatly shape your own late-game economy,” providing you can buy yourself the time to make enough investment here without being forced to change your path in response to conflict.
The Hearts of Iron 4 Romania focus pack isn’t dated yet, but it should be arriving fairly soon. In the meantime, you can expect further details from Paradox talking about more alternate-history paths, and how the military branch can shift industry in order to handle the outbreak of war. Once it releases, however, you might be waiting a little while for what’s next, as Paradox plans to “take extra time” for its next expansion to ensure it’s up to scratch.
