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Götterdämmerung | Expansion Pass


Aaand there we have it, with the release of this video there can be no more subterfuge: our expansion Götterdämmerung drops November 14th.

Of course, we’ve kept this one under wraps for a bit longer despite some … subtle hints, so now is our opportunity to explain a little about what Götterdämmerung heralds, and what else is coming for Hearts of Iron in the near future.

With the above said, I’d like to draw attention to the fact that Dev Diaries and related events will be arriving with high frequency over the coming six weeks - two or three items per week up until launch. This means today we won’t be diving into extreme detail on each of the headline items, but you won’t have long to wait to see more.

Got-Calendar-switched.jpg

Note: The original schedule was changed to swap the Raids and the Small Features DD's to give the Devs more time with the Raids DD​

Special Projects
A German themed expansion is something many of you have been clamouring for for many years, and as we’ve been quite clear about in previous roadmaps, we’ve also wanted to work on a super-weapons feature since the release of HoI4. Naturally, these two things made sense to tackle together.

War drives all sorts of technological innovation in an attempt to out-do opponents and although many projects ultimately never saw the battlefield, Götterdämmerung aims to tie together existing research systems with a new experimental research mechanic that allows for both historical and less historical but plausible super-projects to be pursued. The research process will become an important part of gameplay, with scientists, map-located experimental facilities, and supporting infrastructure all combining to produce a wide variety of outcomes that can augment your forces or change the very nature of the war you are fighting.

Military Raids
Of course, the story of experimental project development during the war was one fraught with strategic implications. From the secrecy around the Manhattan project, to the dambusters raids or targeted strikes on important facilities such as Peenemunde, there are numerous examples of targeted military strikes that had a severe impact on the nature of the conflict.

The military raids feature aims to add more narrative to your conflict while remaining an inherently strategic tool in your arsenal. Target experimental facilities, important military installations and more with high-risk, high-reward planned operations across multiple disciplines. We’ve aimed to have as much integration as possible here with special projects: raids will be one of your main counterplays to an opponent scheming to develop their own [redacted].

Germany
Germany will be receiving a totally revised historical national focus tree and a host of new alternate historical paths. We’ll go into further detail about exactly what is coming here, but we’ve put a high premium on retaining the core feeling that Germany’s old tree gave the player: a sense that they are the protagonist in the events leading up to the war; that the conflict revolves around their actions.

Austria
Resist the oncoming storm, cast off the shackles of enforced military impotence and retool your nation around your chosen identity. Forge a new history for Austria free of German control, standing as a beacon of resistance or reclaiming your fractured empire.

Revised Hungarian Focus Tree
A completely overhauled Hungarian focus tree, with a detailed historical revision and a completely unique perspective on reforging the Austro-Hungarian Empire, independent of Austrian content.

Belgian Focus Tree
Resist or welcome German supremacy. Draw on the natural wealth of the Congo and build potential for an African government-in-exile. Alternatively, play as the Belgian Congo, and either support the war effort, or throw off your old masters.


And of course that’s not all. With any release there’s a host of other items that will appear, some small, some bigger, and notably some pretty nice improvements to the way the AI will play on a tactical and planning level.

Expansion Pass

With Götterdämmerung we’ll be trying something a bit new. The release will be part of an expansion pass. Expansion passes are our way of both giving you a roadmap for the content that’ll be arriving over the next few releases, and for letting you sign up to get that content when it arrives with a discount of 20%.

The expansion pass will include:
  • Instant unlock of three new 3d tank models and a music track​
  • The Götterdämmerung expansion (Nov 14th 2024) - $24.99/£21.99/€24.99​
  • The Graveyard of Empires country pack (Q1 2025) - $14.99/£12.79/€14.99​
  • Prototype Vehicles unit pack (Q3 2025) - $6.99/£5.89/€6.99​
HOI_ExpansionPassOne_KeyArt.png
To see the Expansion pass on Steam, click the image above or this link https://pdxint.at/EP1Store
​
Now to get ahead of the game here: we understand that this method won’t appeal to everyone. All items listed above except for the first bullet-point will be available for purchase separately as per usual, or in the DLC subscription.
 
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Caeric said:
Look, are you ever going to specify what you actually want from a new DLC rather than continue complaining every few hours about how practically everything in this DLC isn't to your tastes, despite nearly nothing concrete having been revealed, and argue and complain about it?
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I want mechanics, and for non-interfence with the current state of balance in terms of focus trees, aside from you know, countries like Siam which participated in WW2 but still don't have a focus tree. I consider that more important than giving a larp tree to a country that gets annexed with in 2 years. Hungary I am fine with getting an update, It's surely a bit of a lackluster tree, although, that's often exaggerated, so long as they don't go overboard it could work.

Belgium and Austria are just in the position of being completely idenctical to their neighbors for all intents and purposes. Fascists netherlands is literally called leo belgicus. I would be more than happy to see a DLC with zero focus trees if it meant the addition of more mechanics. Since, that's the thing that PDS unlike Modders can add.
 
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Giraffus said:
I want mechanics, and for non-interfence with the current state of balance in terms of focus trees, aside from you know, countries like Siam which participated in WW2 but still don't have a focus tree. I consider that more important than giving a larp tree to a country that gets annexed with in 2 years. Hungary I am fine with getting an update, It's surely a bit of a lackluster tree, although, that's often exaggerated, so long as they don't go overboard it could work.

Belgium and Austria are just in the position of being completely idenctical to their neighbors for all intents and purposes. Fascists netherlands is literally called leo belgicus. I would be more than happy to see a DLC with zero focus trees if it meant the addition of more mechanics. Since, that's the thing that PDS unlike Modders can add.
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Thank you, that is a lot more specific. I assume Leo Belgicus will be the name of a Fascist united Low countries no matter if it's formed by Belgium, Netherlands or Luxembourg. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Belgicus

I bet they're saving Siam for some Pacific Themed future DLC though since they typically select nations from the same region to form a core theme.
 
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Arr-tur said:
Germany also had their DLC, we don't need another one now, do we?
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Since I played Germany the most often of all countries I can say that at least I really waited for a Germany rework. And if it is just to break most of the established Metas (yea with breaking meta stuff I am someone who wants to watch the world burn) and breath some fresh air into it and find new things to try both in the build-up and especially once war is going on.

Not to get me wrong, I do like the current focus tree of Germany. From all the older trees it is one where I feel like it is still robust and meaningful for the buildup phase until 1939. I like it because of its simplicity and yet achieving a lot with it.

But because it is that simple I also have to admit I exhausted trying different ways to play Germany. For me there is nothing I would try any differently anymore. And that kinda made Germany feel stale a few years ago.


So I am kinda looking forward how the rework might change the pre-war buildup & war efforts and thereby affect metas.

That said from the way they write that they want to keep the core aspects, I doubt too much crazy will change in the 4-year plan path (and from the names some of the foci seem to be carried over). But I surely will also take a look at the new alternative economic path (albeit from reading into the foci names I think it is rather meant for a peaceful Germany).


But anyway where I totally feel the current Germany focus tree is totally shallow and falls short the most is... that if you go historic, there is pretty much no internal affairs to care about like with other countries that eventually received a more detailed rework. Over the entire campaign Germany is politically super stable. There is nothing you need to do. Your entire focus is on economic buildup and once the war starts your focus is on getting the next war started.

So I am kinda also looking forward to the politcal tree changes and how the little mini-game with the "Inner Circle" might be and how it all will tie either into the pre-war build-up or into the ongoing war efforts.


Because currently, for me the German focus tree, as nice as it is until 1939, pretty much stops after going "Danzig or War" & "Around Maginot". Whatever you pick afterwards (all the Eastern and South-Eastern European efforts, including Hungary, Romania, Jugoslavia and even Russia) can also be achieved by pure military strength & just declaring war on them as well. You don't even need Norway to naval invade Britain (even if it makes it a cheese). No need for the foci. And apart from those, there are not really any other meaningful picks left in the focus tree. Nothing feels like it is urgent to get or that it would have a considerable impact on the campaign. ^^


Anyway because Germany has become a bit stale like that, in all of my recent Germany runs I quit after defeating the allies in 1939/1940 or the latest the day before declaring on Russia and my benchmark was how efficiently I achieved the buildup.

So I am kinda curious for the new Germany focus tree and other themed features because it seems like there will be more things to care about even beyond building up to 1939. I might get interested again to play a few longer Germany campaigns and actually do a full world conquest. ^^
 
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Giraffus said:
I want mechanics, and for non-interfence with the current state of balance in terms of focus trees, aside from you know, countries like Siam which participated in WW2 but still don't have a focus tree. I consider that more important than giving a larp tree to a country that gets annexed with in 2 years. Hungary I am fine with getting an update, It's surely a bit of a lackluster tree, although, that's often exaggerated, so long as they don't go overboard it could work.

Belgium and Austria are just in the position of being completely idenctical to their neighbors for all intents and purposes. Fascists netherlands is literally called leo belgicus. I would be more than happy to see a DLC with zero focus trees if it meant the addition of more mechanics. Since, that's the thing that PDS unlike Modders can add.
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Siam was an ally of Japan, so Siam should be included into Japan's update, together with South East Asia (Southern resource area for the Japanese)... hopefully it comes next year.
For now, I am happy for Germany update.
 
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Ossiv said:
Siam was an ally of Japan, so Siam should be included into Japan's update, together with South East Asia (Southern resource area for the Japanese)... hopefully it comes next year.
For now, I am happy for Germany update.
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Japan already had it's expansion, that was waking the tiger, as it stands you don't hear anyone complaning about the Asia focus trees as they are very solid, even mods like kaiserreich essentially just copy the structure of Japan because it works. Germany also got it's first rework during that expansion, so it would have been pretty fitting to include with this one. but maybe that's wishful thinking.
 
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Medu Salem said:
But anyway where I totally feel the current Germany focus tree is totally shallow and falls short the most is... that if you go historic, there is pretty much no internal affairs to care about like with other countries that eventually received a more detailed rework. Over the entire campaign Germany is politically super stable. There is nothing you need to do. Your entire focus is on economic buildup and once the war starts your focus is on getting the next war started.
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This is something I mentioned in my post, but every country's stability is represented in relativity to Germany, which is why messing with it, would mess with germany. Over all germany was certainly fairly politically stable even to the very end. And the one major event of Operation Valkyrie is represented in the game.
 
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Giraffus said:
I want mechanics, and for non-interfence with the current state of balance in terms of focus trees, aside from you know, countries like Siam which participated in WW2 but still don't have a focus tree. I consider that more important than giving a larp tree to a country that gets annexed with in 2 years. Hungary I am fine with getting an update, It's surely a bit of a lackluster tree, although, that's often exaggerated, so long as they don't go overboard it could work.

Belgium and Austria are just in the position of being completely idenctical to their neighbors for all intents and purposes. Fascists netherlands is literally called leo belgicus. I would be more than happy to see a DLC with zero focus trees if it meant the addition of more mechanics. Since, that's the thing that PDS unlike Modders can add.
Click to expand...

I would also like more gameplay mechanics. And to be honest, And a while back I totally complained about the focus on... focus trees the past few years. Especially those about countries that had little to no agency in the war or who were steamrolled anyway. ^^

But I also kinda have grown to understand, especially after the issue with turning some of the earliest DLCs into "free" content, that they are at a point where their sales model with separate expansions is kinda hampering them in development as well. Because the playerbase is so ridiculously fragmented with who ones which DLC that even if they would like to build more on something they cannot because it would require DLC <xy> also to be present.

And then there is another thing... the engine version used for HoI4 is probably getting dated and was never meant or designed with the intention to do certain things, unlike newer versions that shipped with Ck3 or V3.

So from a certain point of view at least for me it is questionable how many more real "mechanics " updates there will be. And if they are not rather considering to include those things in a successor title that they will likely probably start making next once... the current "secret" project is released and out of its baby steps.

I would guess the next thing after Götterdämmerung will likely be the Japan & South East Asia thing and then they will call it a day for Hoi4 because every major power received a rework, every region is fleshed out. They will then likely start working on Hoi5 and it would roughly fit the timeframe where the other "secret" project will be somewhat done and resources freed up.

Giraffus said:
This is something I mentioned in my post, but every country's stability is represented in relativity to Germany, which is why messing with it, would mess with germany. Over all germany was certainly fairly politically stable even to the very end. And the one major event of Operation Valkyrie is represented in the game.
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Well, initially when the war efforts went well it was rather stable. They were obviously euphoric about how "well" things went in Poland & France. But after stuff started going downhill... most of the key people from the inner circle cooked their own plans and/or tried abandoning ship to save their skin. That says something about the mentality and allegiance of the people in question.

And that is something one can build on for a more refined political aspect, because even if Germany would have won the war, these people likely had their own agendas. Hitler would not have lived forever in either case, so the establishment would likely have backstabbed each other one day over leadership regardless. ^^

But even before things went downhill in the war, HItler sometimes favored some of his staff more than others and that caused tensions.
 
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I never play Austria, but does Eglseer start as a field marshall, or does Austria instantly promote him always by the time they are annexed? Seems like he would make a better general with his traits. But demoting is impossible, I think even with mods.
 
marxwasright said:
I never play Austria, but does Eglseer start as a field marshall, or does Austria instantly promote him always by the time they are annexed? Seems like he would make a better general with his traits. But demoting is impossible, I think even with mods.
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I would also like to have him as a General with those traits. Can we ask the developers to not promote him during the Anschluss?

Or if not him, then Dietl should be available as an mountain specialist. Dietl commanded the German Mountain Army in Norway and Northern Finland.
 
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Medu Salem said:
Woot. Austria randomly declining is possible? On historic... or do you mean non-historic?

I played Germany like 50 times over (because I used to be one of those who helped establishing the meta before I hated the meta, yea ironic)... and in none of them Austria ever declined the Anschluss.

I would guess it might be possible if one p*sses off the AI enough, but I would not see how that happens in a "normal" Germany campaign.

But that said even in a non-historic Germany start, where one does an early conquest of the Nederlands or the likes to get the East Indies for the rubber and other stuff like that. Not even the runs where I did stuff like that Austria declined the Anschluss.

Maybe I was just really lucky the whole time, hence why it never happened to me. ^^


Anyway I am also curious whether anything about the Anschluss will change because of the rework. Because if Austria gets a proper tree now, then I would guess that on historic they are railroaded on a focus path that will ensure that they will accept the Anschluss every time. But I could also imagine that it means for a German player that it might only be doable by a certain date, and not before that because Austria might need a focus to even accept it. So maybe early Anschluss metas might not work because one depends on Austria's timing. Same when you do it too late.

And another thing will likely be how much economic foci the AI will be forced to pursue. Might be worth as germany to actually wait until Austria is done with that and then swoop in and get it all. xD

But anyway that is speculation and soon we will know more. ^^
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Austria declining Anschluss has technically been possible before, but it has been very unlikely unless certain conditions have been met.

Again, Mondays are cool right? ;) Until then we won't say much about Austria in detail I'm afraid.
 
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Nattmaran said:
Austria declining Anschluss has technically been possible before, but it has been very unlikely unless certain conditions have been met.

Again, Mondays are cool right? ;) Until then we won't say much about Austria in detail I'm afraid.
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Yea, no issue with waiting until Monday for how some of the new things will work for Austria (I saw the roadmap). ^^


But that said, I would still be curious what conditions trigger for Austria to actually decline the Anschluss in the current version. Because as I wrote, it never happened to me and I definitely did some shenanigans with Germany just to test a lot of things. At least none of what I did ever triggered it.

Would I have to bolster an opposing party in Austria until they flip or something for them to decline? Because that is definitely something I never considered doing because why.... why would one do that as Germany if they are already aligned with you.

Unless you play as Britain or France or the likes and want to cripple Germany's build up, then I guess it might be viable for those countries to bolster democratic party if it that is one of the conditions that trigger it. But I guess Germany's AI would then still be scripted to steamroll over Austria if they decline (never tried it so I can't say but it would seem the plausible fallback scenario to me if for whatever reason Austria declines) and with it probably trigger an early WW2 where no one is properly prepared and it would be a whole mess. ^^
 
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It is said that the Tree of National Goals for Hungary has been revised.

Has the historic decision of Hungarian Prime Minister Pál Teleki to refuse assistance during the invasion of Poland been included in the new tree?

"Pál Teleki was twice prime minister of Hungary. He supported Poland during the war with the Bolsheviks in 1920. He also showed his loyalty in the summer of 1939 - he did not hesitate to deny Hitler's participation in the armed aggression against the Second Republic. In April 1941, he committed suicide in a dramatic gesture against Hungary's cooperation with the Third Reich."

quote from https://muzeum1939.pl/wojennipolitycy-pal-teleki-18791941/aktualnosci/5091.html

English language version of the articles.
notesfrompoland.com

Poland criticises Hungary's top general for "distorting WWII history"

Hungary's chief of general staff claimed WWII was a "local German-Polish war" that escalated due to a lack of peace efforts.
notesfrompoland.com notesfrompoland.com

Hungarians towards the German aggression on Poland - English content Przystanek Historia

Hungarians towards the German aggression on Poland - English content Despite the pressure of Berlin the Kingdom of Hungary did not contribute to the German aggression on Poland in September 1939, but rather later secretly supported the evacuation of Polish soldiers to France.
przystanekhistoria.pl przystanekhistoria.pl

Polish language version of the articles.

Prasa węgierska wobec agresji III Rzeszy i ZSRS na Polskę we wrześniu 1939 roku - Wrzesień 1939 Przystanek Historia

Prasa węgierska wobec agresji III Rzeszy i ZSRS na Polskę we wrześniu 1939 roku - Wrzesień 1939 Jednym z największych sprawdzianów braterstwa polsko-węgierskiego były czasy drugowojenne z uwagi na to, że Węgry i Polska po wybuchu wojny znalazły się po odmiennych stronach konfliktu.
przystanekhistoria.pl przystanekhistoria.pl
muzeum1939.pl

#WojenniPolitycy - Pál Teleki (1879–1941)

Pál Teleki był dwukrotnym premierem Węgier.
muzeum1939.pl muzeum1939.pl

ipn = Instytut Pamięci Narodowej = Institute of National Remembrance
English website: eng.ipn.gov.pl/en
Polish website: ipn.gov.pl/

gov.pl is the official Polish government website.
 
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Medu Salem said:
Yea, no issue with waiting until Monday for how some of the new things will work for Austria (I saw the roadmap). ^^


But that said, I would still be curious what conditions trigger for Austria to actually decline the Anschluss in the current version. Because as I wrote, it never happened to me and I definitely did some shenanigans with Germany just to test a lot of things. At least none of what I did ever triggered it.

Would I have to bolster an opposing party in Austria until they flip or something for them to decline? Because that is definitely something I never considered doing because why.... why would one do that as Germany if they are already aligned with you.

Unless you play as Britain or France or the likes and want to cripple Germany's build up, then I guess it might be viable for those countries to bolster democratic party if it that is one of the conditions that trigger it. But I guess Germany's AI would then still be scripted to steamroll over Austria if they decline (never tried it so I can't say but it would seem the plausible fallback scenario to me if for whatever reason Austria declines) and with it probably trigger an early WW2 where no one is properly prepared and it would be a whole mess. ^^
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Giving them a guarantee will stop them from accepting Anschluss afaik, aside from being in a faction that is. Part of the Italian Stresa Front path does guarantee Austria to prevent Anschluss and pressures the Uk & France to do the same if they like you.

Only other reason I can think of might be if they take into account army disparity, or if Germany is already at war with somebody else.
 
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Nattmaran said:
Smaller than Germany's, yes, but these focus trees are not what I would call "small"

You'll see Austria's tree soon (tm) so you can judge for yourself, but the Steam page might already give a sneak peak of part of it ;)
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Just saying, hope you cooked well.

AGASHOOD said:
Romania rework could have been more useful instead of austria
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*Congo

Making it a playable starting country with generic focus tree is already enough. Its focus tree can come with Liberia and South Africa rework. Maybe also with British West Africa since East Africa can be annexed by South Africa on its current focus tree?

Anyway, agree with your sentiment. Should've got Romania/Czechoslovakia rework alongside Austria
 
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