Hearts of Iron 4 Tutorial for Beginners | Latest 2023 update

Over 2,500 Likes! Why? Many New Players to HOI4 come here, frustrated with videos rushing through & clicking and not explaining stuff... Sure this one's gonna take you 3.5 hours, but afterwards YOU'LL GET IT. (see comments) - So go grab a drink, and hit play!

A COMPLETE guide for new players to HOI4 - When I was new to the game in 2019, I found it difficult because the user interface & game mechanics are like nothing I've ever played before. To help improve things for new players, I've made the best beginners guide here. It covers all the things I wish someone told me when I was learning how to play. Includes changes upto 2023.

2024 UPDATE! New Tutorials (More In Depth Topics) - Read on:

Amazed how many people this video helped, In 2024 I made a Comprehensive Beginners Guide to HOI4 - The Playlist contains many episodes. This enables me to cover Hearts of Iron in more detail than I otherwise could. It serves as a 1 stop shop for new players, who can choose to follow along - I provide access to all SaveGames after each episode, to keep us all on-course together.

While a comprehensive video playlist may not be for everyone, for complete beginners who want something extra, in a laid back style, that covers EVERYTHING - click here:

Games with Brains - Other Good HOI4 Tutorials:

Contents:
0:00 Hearts of Iron 4 Complete Beginner Tutorial
1:00 HOI4 turn DLC off to Follow This Guide for Beginners
2:21 New Game Ironman Mode Explained
3:55 Understanding Modifiers
7:47 Hearts of Iron Main Interface
8:52 Divisions, Armies & Army Groups
9:05 Selecting an Entire Division
9:22 Battalions Inside Divisions
11:50 Selecting & Moving Divisions
12:50 Template Designer - Piercing vs Attack
16:44 Creating Your First Army Using Divisions
18:20 Adding Generals to Command an Army
20:42 Adding Panzers to an Armoured Division
21:34 Viewing Equipment Needed for Any Division
23:49 Adding Infantry Divisions to an Existing Army
24:10 Using a General & His Army to Make a Front Line
29:22 Adding Generals & Armies to Army Groups
30:15 Assigning a Field Marshall to Command Army Group
31:14 Deleting Orders Assigned to Divisions
31:48 Issuing Orders to Field Marshalls
33:52 Planning Attacks with Field Marshal Army Groups
35:54 Research - Notifications and Technology
39:34 Technology Research Tree in Detail
46:09 Civilian Factories & Military Factories Info
47:44 Trading & Resources & Factories FULLY EXPLORED
51:25 Resources - Excess vs Shortages
52:09 Exporting Resources - How & Where?
52:20 Factories Treated Like Money in HOI4
55:03 All Supplies Come From & Stored In Capital
56:33 Where Does My Excess Rubber Go?
57:05 Setting Military Factories to Build Stuff
58:09 Construction Menu to Build on Map
1:00:46 How to Build Tanks and Planes
1:01:35 How to Use Dock Yards to Build Navy
1:06:15 Exploring National Focuses
1:07:42 Views - Army Navy Air Supply
1:07:59 The Navy Basics - Flotillas
1:09:37 Setting up Navy Patrols
1:11:33 Navy Veterancy & Training
1:13:33 Recruit & Training New Divisions
1:17:34 Unassigned Divisions - Generals
1:19:03 The Generals & Improving Traits
1:20:00 BRB - Quick Break!
1:20:35 Generals, Divisions, Groups, Orders
1:25:02 Events & Decisions - Getting Free Stuff
1:25:45 Political Power, Advisors & Laws
1:28:02 The Air Force - How to use Planes?
1:35:50 Hiring a Military Theorist
1:37:07 Dockyards Available! Building New Ships
1:38:30 Armies & Divisions with NO orders
1:38:48 Defending an Area with Divisions
1:40:07 Training Divisions for Army XP
1:42:24 Modifying the Government (Political Power)
1:43:14 Use Space to Pause
1:43:32 Closer Look at National Focus Tree
1:46:12 What's Industrial Concern?
1:47:14 1st Research Completes - MORE!
1:48:43 Why Does Radio Matter in HOI4?
1:49:30 Building & Storing Equipment
1:51:27 Aircraft Training Completed
1:52:37 Sending New Divisions to Generals
1:53:06 Advanced Naval Order Functions
1:57:16 Getting an Extra Research Slot
1:58:10 Research Bonuses! Bigger Time Better Bonus!
1:59:30 Hiring Advisors to Build Stuff Quicker
1:59:49 The Military Officers Corps (I say chaps!)
2:02:47 Italy being Italy over in Africa
2:07:10 Recruiting New Air Squadrons
2:10:19 Building Navy, Ships & Dockyards
2:18:42 Infrastructure Upgrades Matter
2:22:14 Surface Flotilla Training
2:26:47 An Extra Research Slot!
2:29:38 Long Range Bombing
2:32:48 Spanish Civil War Begins
2:34:04 Controlling Panzer Tanks in Battle
2:41:10 Low Supply & Combat Supplies
2:49:33 Combining Germany & Austria
2:54:54 Extra Combat Stats - Field Marshal
2:57:39 Division Designer & Editor
3:12:34 Navy Chief & Messerschmitt
3:25:10 Want More? See 2024 Playlist in Description
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[gameswithbrains]

So many People thankful for a video that finally breaks HOI4 down and *explains the core parts* of it properly.
Go watch your half hour complete guide if you prefer, and I'll see you back here in 35 minutes!
(when you realise like many others before you, it can't be done - no shame in trying though - I did too!)

I have begun to add chapters for the first hour (I'll continue to add more in the coming days). If you doubt this video is worth your time, just take a gander through the comments. Put it this way, if you put your mind to it Saturday Breakfast, by lunchtime you'll get it, and by dinner time, you'll have half the world begging you for mercy! *milage may vary*

[liamlovegrove]

I love that they made a game that was so complex and difficult that I've had to spend the last week watching hours of tutorials to even have a cursory understanding of this game lmao - Don't get me wrong though, it's worth every second! Thank you for providing some content that makes this whole phase of the experience much easier to take in :)

[jarniwoop]

I prefer your tutorial style. Very didactic. You start with the DLC turned off, and progress at a reasonable pace, unlike others who sound highly caffeinated and zoom through it click click click so fast I have to keep replaying points. Thank you very much.

[Bigballermvp]

I know hoi4 is a detailed game Because the guide is 3 hours long

[dirtyonion]

This was remarkably helpful. I used this as a step-by-step guide to get used to everything. The first playthrough was overwhelming and this really helped with the learning curve. Thanks so much for the guidance!!

[JohnQ]

Very, very useful for complete beginner. As the author says in the video you cannot learn this game in 10 minutes (even in 1 hour). He goes through things slowly enough that you can see what he does and how he does it. Other videos often skip bits or go so fast you can't follow what is happening. I found it very helpful to have the video and the game going at the same time. Thank you very much.

[gonzales]

Didn't think I would find such an amazing and up-to-date tutorial, thank you for creating this! Also, love the commentary - it's really enjoyable to listen to you, and your pacing and talking speed is perfect.

[Munich]

This definitely is one of the best tutorials I ever watched on YT! It's really enjoyable to listen to your explanations, perfect pacing and info, thanks for this!

[mahakleung]

Thank you very much. I have not played for 2 years. I refreshed my missing DLCs the other day with the Steam sale. This tutorial brought back much of what I previously knew; although there are new aspects I see such as modular building of equipment. The last DLC I got was espionage before I stopped. I will probably play a vanilla game or two, then go on to spice it up with Expert AI. And if I still am playing by '25, then maybe some BI and MD. AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE GENOROSITY TO WALK THROUGH A 3.5 HOUR VIDEO. SO, KIND OF YOU. YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!!!

[kiwinesss]

I have just seen there is a part two for this. I am half way through this one now and will start the second one immediately.
Your way of teaching a tutorial is very good, I really hope you make more.

[danb]

Modifiers 4:20
Divisions 8:52 20:58
Armies/generals 17:00 22:35
Research 36:00
Factories 46:10 57:40 production 1:03:56
Resources 47:50
Trade 52:10
Dockyards 1:01:46
National focus 1:06:15
Navy 1:07:52 1:53:15
Training 1:13:39
Decisions/advisors 1:26:11
Air Force 1:28:10
Officer corps 1:35:55

[kevinpeltz]

Thank you for taking the time to do this - it’s been heavy going trying to figure things out, and your primer has been a godsend to me!

[steveremer]

The way you organize this tutorial is priceless some of the others spend so much time on stuff you don’t need right away and so little time on stuff that you do this is a beautiful piece of work

[ThredithUndomiel]

Thank you for this video! The explanation was thorough, but easy to understand. It's the best tutorial for beginners that I've found thus far, and it's also up to date!

[BikeGremlinUS]

Love it how you took the time to explain what, and why you are doing (including what you click to get stuff done). Unlike many other tutorials that seem just "too fast."
Highly appreciate your time and effort. Thank you. :)

[mikeha]

I was playing around with the recruit and deploy priorities, and the thing is, if upgrades are the same priority as new divisions, if you have a bunch of old equipment in stockpile, the new divisions will be equipped with the old equipment and get it upgraded later on. If the new divisions are higher priority, they will be equipped initially with old equipment but they will start receiving the new equipment while still in training. So to avoid new divisions with old equipment being deployed I think it's good to give new divisions a higher priority

[OrangeNash]

Excellent tutorial. Nice to hear somebody explain things thoughtfully, rather than gabbling through a script at breakneck speed. BTW Guderian is pronounced like "Good Aryan". Which is ironic as he sometimes disobeyed orders, which made him a bad Aryan.

[thedragonborn]

I know I'm a year late, but I appreciate you going over all the little things. the complexity of this game is what kept me off for so long well, that and the fact that most tutorials don't go over the small stuff so I usually have no idea what I'm doing until now

[capybaragames]

This is a very good tutorial that goes over everything in Hearts of Iron IV. A 3 hour tutorial is needed for this game as there is too much to go over for just a 10 minute video. I also like that you talked about things as it happened in the game as it is a lot easier to follow. A lot of tutorials just skip to bits in a campaign which is honestly annoying.

[peterschaldemose]

I love your guide! Finally somebody who goes slowly and methodically. Funnily enough, it's the basic things that most frustrating. Where the feth do I find the buttons to do what I want ?!? This explains much of it! Thanks!