• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

HOI4 Dev Diary - Back from summer!

Hi everyone! The whole team is now back from vacation so its time to kick off dev diaries again!

At the moment we are all working on an unannounced expansion and the 1.8 Husky Update and work is progressing well, so we can start sharing some of it with you guys and gals again. The expansion will remain unannounced until PDXCon so look forward to that. Or better yet, come join us for fun, reveals and gaming in Berlin.

Just because we can’t give the full overview yet doesn’t mean we can’t start revealing stuff in true Paradox tradition, so next week we will be taking a look at France which is getting a full revamp. We are going to be doing our focus trees a bit differently this time around, so expect new nations to get covered in two diaries rather than a single one to better match their scope and structure.

I don't have a lot for today, and spent all my vacation moving and not going to any cool WW2 places, so I will end this diary with a cool WW2 related vacation pic from @Bratyn. Bonus points if you can spot where its from :)

20190808_120141.jpg


See you all next week for something a lot more meaty!
 
Almost every single country when they received focus trees or got revamped also received some debuffs and penalties. The entirety of Commonwealth did not had any issues before TfV now they are forced to deal with stuff like Great Depression, conscription, segregation etc. Hungary did not had Treaty of Trianon (huge and extremely important treaty that crippled their country), Yugoslavia had no internal struggle between the different nations, Japan did not had rivalry between Navy and Army etc might aswell add Naval Treaties for all the major naval powers.Good example is also China, they nerfed them to oblivion in early game but if they survive they can become a major powerhouse in mid-late game.

You may not like that, but it's something that a lot of people do, it also feels much more satisfying to win with a nation to starts out poorly in my opinion. I'm not saying Italy needs to be nerfed and crippled, but they should recognize some issues they were facing, they did it with other countries and i expect they will with Italy aswell.
 
Almost every single country when they received focus trees or got revamped also received some debuffs and penalties. The entirety of Commonwealth did not had any issues before TfV now they are forced to deal with stuff like Great Depression, conscription, segregation etc. Hungary did not had Treaty of Trianon (huge and extremely important treaty that crippled their country), Yugoslavia had no internal struggle between the different nations, Japan did not had rivalry between Navy and Army etc might aswell add Naval Treaties for all the major naval powers.Good example is also China, they nerfed them to oblivion in early game but if they survive they can become a major powerhouse in mid-late game.

You may not like that, but it's something that a lot of people do, it also feels much more satisfying to win with a nation to starts out poorly in my opinion. I'm not saying Italy needs to be nerfed and crippled, but they should recognize some issues they were facing, they did it with other countries and i expect they will with Italy aswell.

It depends on how far they go to do so. Im fine with countries having issues, but not when it comes to balancing something. Now, if this was something for historical down the road, sure... but not the country entirely.

Italy could have a civil war when they are half capitulated... or they lose a certain number of Vp's. I'd be down with that.

but not a civil war off the back or just one randomly.
 
And, now that Ive had time to think..

you know what would be cool for Italy?

An African Tree. So we have the industry on the left side, then army, air and navy in the left middle. Then right after is the Tree that goes down to the Italy first((Its nt even a good tree yo)) and then the pact with Germany then you have the 3 tree for spain focus's.


Rework the spain focus's imo and put them in a better location within the historical tree.

So from the start, you can split off into Italy first, which would have you start removing yoru facism and other ideologys and slowly turn into a non aligned. No civil wra, but oover time and through political power. You COULD have a civil war to get it done early, but thats not a good idea imo.

So, you get the branch between Italy first and historical tree. Historical tree can just be the claims on Yugoslavia. That would be a good idea.

Then in the middle of these two trees, between Historical and alt history, is the African tree, with both branches able to use it.

Then in the italy first... they get a national buff((What do you call those?)) where they get infrastructure construction speed +10... and its called. All Roads Lead To Rome.

THAT WOULD BE COOL.
 
And, now that Ive had time to think..

you know what would be cool for Italy?

An African Tree. So we have the industry on the left side, then army, air and navy in the left middle. Then right after is the Tree that goes down to the Italy first((Its nt even a good tree yo)) and then the pact with Germany then you have the 3 tree for spain focus's.


Rework the spain focus's imo and put them in a better location within the historical tree.

So from the start, you can split off into Italy first, which would have you start removing yoru facism and other ideologys and slowly turn into a non aligned. No civil wra, but oover time and through political power. You COULD have a civil war to get it done early, but thats not a good idea imo.

So, you get the branch between Italy first and historical tree. Historical tree can just be the claims on Yugoslavia. That would be a good idea.

Then in the middle of these two trees, between Historical and alt history, is the African tree, with both branches able to use it.

Then in the italy first... they get a national buff((What do you call those?)) where they get infrastructure construction speed +10... and its called. All Roads Lead To Rome.

THAT WOULD BE COOL.
I would like to see the guy behind Mexico working in Alt-Paths for Majors.
For example as Italy no just going to form your own faction and going like Escipion...
You can go Democratic gathering conservatives and liberals as Vittorio Emanuele and pact with allies your Dow on Germany if they give you Dalmacia...
Another Crazy idea would be a "Avanti Savoia" non alligned and going crazy... A communist path too... (And a Pope path but I think religion is tabu)
 
I would like to see the guy behind Mexico working in Alt-Paths for Majors.
For example as Italy no just going to form your own faction and going like Escipion...
You can go Democratic gathering conservatives and liberals as Vittorio Emanuele and pact with allies your Dow on Germany if they give you Dalmacia...
Another Crazy idea would be a "Avanti Savoia" non alligned and going crazy... A communist path too... (And a Pope path but I think religion is tabu)

I think Italy is better off going their own route towards the Roman Empire. It would make more sense for them to do so considering their past, instead of going Democracy...
 
While I'd like to see Italy stronger, realistically the country was in such a bad situation that it shouldn't have joined the war. I don't remember the year but Italy wasn't ready for war until at least the late '40s, and I get that it might not be fun to play but they should have penalties no matter which path they take. Just because the king overthrows Mussolini, communists launch a coup, Mussolini goes his own way or democracy prevails doesn't fix the fact that Italy was in a period of catching up to the rest of Western Europe, especially the other majors, and should be the weakest of them all, bar Nationalist China. Italy was still industrializing, especially in the south, the stuff they did produce was terrible, many of the officers in key positions lacked proper experience and knowledge to wage warfare trends of the time and were only there for political reasons and replacing them if Mussolini was gone should take time. I think it would be a really interesting system for Italy, where the longer they wait and build up to remove their debuffs which in my opinion they should have many and have them for a long time. Nothing too punishing to the point of unplayable or complete failure of a country since Italy did have some victories and had some really well trained men. I forget if it was British or Australian soldiers in North Africa who commented on the accuracy of the Italian artillerymen but their terrible shells didn't explode since they were produced in very poor quality.

I get that some might prefer the aggresive rushing into war style but that was more Germany than Italy, who waited a whole month after the German invasion and most of the BEF had evacuated and majority of French troops were encircled or occupied and then attacked France in a poorly defended area and lost 16 times more men than France in the brief Battle of the Alps. I have the same issue in my games as @Reinner where it's 1939, Germany attacks Poland, WW2 starts, they do invasion of the Benelux because their focus path is still wrong, they sweep the Low Countries and France but Italy swarms into Southern France and Vichy France forms with like 2 states because Italy has the rest. It's not fun as a German player who's trying to keep things historical and it's not fun for anyone who's not playing Italy trying to keep things historical. I will agree that an early civil war would essentially knock Italy out of the game unless they were left undisturbed for quite some time and even than they'd be kind of meh. I would only let a civil war break out for Italy under the communist path since from my understanding the movement wasn't as popular as other nations, though still had significant support like much of Europe, and if they had ways of asking other communist nations for help in rebuilding. Just giving Italy major bonuses to make them fun isn't historical, realistic or appealing to me. Simple and minor buffs such as volunteers or temporary productions boosts are fine since it helps the country and fits with focuses. Giving Italy +50% Production Efficiency because the glorious factories of the People's Republic of Italy is just so awesome doesn't make sense from any point of view. I'd actually find playing Italy with the debuffs and working with them but still winning to be more impressive since challenges are fun, if balanced properly. I'd say the debuff that Italy should keep the most is incompetent officers and bad production. This is the country that at the end of the war still used biplanes and launched their initial attacks of the war as if it was WW1 by stopping and digging trenches after gaining X amount of ground.
 
While I'd like to see Italy stronger, realistically the country was in such a bad situation that it shouldn't have joined the war. I don't remember the year but Italy wasn't ready for war until at least the late '40s, and I get that it might not be fun to play but they should have penalties no matter which path they take. Just because the king overthrows Mussolini, communists launch a coup, Mussolini goes his own way or democracy prevails doesn't fix the fact that Italy was in a period of catching up to the rest of Western Europe, especially the other majors, and should be the weakest of them all, bar Nationalist China. Italy was still industrializing, especially in the south, the stuff they did produce was terrible, many of the officers in key positions lacked proper experience and knowledge to wage warfare trends of the time and were only there for political reasons and replacing them if Mussolini was gone should take time. I think it would be a really interesting system for Italy, where the longer they wait and build up to remove their debuffs which in my opinion they should have many and have them for a long time. Nothing too punishing to the point of unplayable or complete failure of a country since Italy did have some victories and had some really well trained men. I forget if it was British or Australian soldiers in North Africa who commented on the accuracy of the Italian artillerymen but their terrible shells didn't explode since they were produced in very poor quality.

I get that some might prefer the aggresive rushing into war style but that was more Germany than Italy, who waited a whole month after the German invasion and most of the BEF had evacuated and majority of French troops were encircled or occupied and then attacked France in a poorly defended area and lost 16 times more men than France in the brief Battle of the Alps. I have the same issue in my games as @Reinner where it's 1939, Germany attacks Poland, WW2 starts, they do invasion of the Benelux because their focus path is still wrong, they sweep the Low Countries and France but Italy swarms into Southern France and Vichy France forms with like 2 states because Italy has the rest. It's not fun as a German player who's trying to keep things historical and it's not fun for anyone who's not playing Italy trying to keep things historical. I will agree that an early civil war would essentially knock Italy out of the game unless they were left undisturbed for quite some time and even than they'd be kind of meh. I would only let a civil war break out for Italy under the communist path since from my understanding the movement wasn't as popular as other nations, though still had significant support like much of Europe, and if they had ways of asking other communist nations for help in rebuilding. Just giving Italy major bonuses to make them fun isn't historical, realistic or appealing to me. Simple and minor buffs such as volunteers or temporary productions boosts are fine since it helps the country and fits with focuses. Giving Italy +50% Production Efficiency because the glorious factories of the People's Republic of Italy is just so awesome doesn't make sense from any point of view. I'd actually find playing Italy with the debuffs and working with them but still winning to be more impressive since challenges are fun, if balanced properly. I'd say the debuff that Italy should keep the most is incompetent officers and bad production. This is the country that at the end of the war still used biplanes and launched their initial attacks of the war as if it was WW1 by stopping and digging trenches after gaining X amount of ground.

Thats fine for a historical italy. A alt-history italy should not have to suffer this. Alt history italy already wont be part of the Axis, so thats just a double whammy thats unneeded. Italy is not that strong and does not need t obe weaker than it already is.
 
Hi everyone! The whole team is now back from vacation so its time to kick off dev diaries again!

At the moment we are all working on an unannounced expansion and the 1.8 Husky Update and work is progressing well, so we can start sharing some of it with you guys and gals again. The expansion will remain unannounced until PDXCon so look forward to that. Or better yet, come join us for fun, reveals and gaming in Berlin.

Just because we can’t give the full overview yet doesn’t mean we can’t start revealing stuff in true Paradox tradition, so next week we will be taking a look at France which is getting a full revamp. We are going to be doing our focus trees a bit differently this time around, so expect new nations to get covered in two diaries rather than a single one to better match their scope and structure.

I don't have a lot for today, and spent all my vacation moving and not going to any cool WW2 places, so I will end this diary with a cool WW2 related vacation pic from @Bratyn. Bonus points if you can spot where its from :)

View attachment 507564

See you all next week for something a lot more meaty!
Plz, make a dlc for Belgium Plz Plz Plz :C!!!
 
Thats fine for a historical italy. A alt-history italy should not have to suffer this. Alt history italy already wont be part of the Axis, so thats just a double whammy thats unneeded. Italy is not that strong and does not need t obe weaker than it already is.

Okay, explain to me how King Victor Emmanuel III is going to fix Southern Italy's complete lack of major industry and agrarian ways of living in 2 years and suddenly they can mass produce huge legions and reclaim the Roman Empire because why not. The reality is that Italy should take a long time and/or post-war for them to start becoming a dominant figure, they should be like China, where they have many issues and work their way through the war with them. Italy, while the first to introduce a fascist government post-WW1, really become overshadowed by Germany once Hitler was elected. The Allies realized this and that's why they focused more on appeasing Germany, since they had the industry, military and support for their aggressive foreign policies, while Italy mostly sat back and only attacked the vulnerable Abyssinia and Albania because it's all they could do with what they had. By 1936, it's just too late for Italy to avoid having penalties. Mussolini had been in charge since the end of 1922, even if we move it to 1923 that's still 13 years of being a dictator and securing himself and seeing his plans through. Being communist, monarchist, democratic or fascist but their own faction, doesn't change the fact that Italy was desperately behind most of Western Europe in almost all ways relevant to HoI IV.

If the game started in let's say 1925, maybe I can see some buffs being made overtime since if the government was made different decisions would be made leading to different starting situations for the buildup of WW2. You should have to take the country as the way it was historically in 1936 and work your way through their problems in whatever way you see fit to achieve your goals. Artificially buffing Italy because at the last minute they decided to do something else and they get major production boosts, as stated earlier, doesn't make sense and removes the major flaws of the country. India doesn't get to remove their Agrarian Society or Muslim Population issues because the country had to deal with, they can address them and make them less painful, but they will still be there at the end and in the case of the Muslim Population you have to sacrifice land to remove it. Italy is suppose to be a minor major, they are a major in Europe but outside of that they are rather small. I'd also like to point out that Italy joining the Axis didn't make it suffer such terrible defeats, so I don't know why you keep throwing that argument out. If Italy goes Italy First, you still have the same group of people running the show with the same problems as before, except now you're in competition with Germany for claiming French land, securing an alliance with Franco in Spain and keeping Austria independent on top of all the other goals of Italy First. Which ironically enough isn't really Italy First since it's all about befriending and making alliances and not conquering, maybe this could be split into two paths but another talk for another time.
 
Okay, explain to me how King Victor Emmanuel III is going to fix Southern Italy's complete lack of major industry and agrarian ways of living in 2 years and suddenly they can mass produce huge legions and reclaim the Roman Empire because why not. The reality is that Italy should take a long time and/or post-war for them to start becoming a dominant figure, they should be like China, where they have many issues and work their way through the war with them. Italy, while the first to introduce a fascist government post-WW1, really become overshadowed by Germany once Hitler was elected. The Allies realized this and that's why they focused more on appeasing Germany, since they had the industry, military and support for their aggressive foreign policies, while Italy mostly sat back and only attacked the vulnerable Abyssinia and Albania because it's all they could do with what they had. By 1936, it's just too late for Italy to avoid having penalties. Mussolini had been in charge since the end of 1922, even if we move it to 1923 that's still 13 years of being a dictator and securing himself and seeing his plans through. Being communist, monarchist, democratic or fascist but their own faction, doesn't change the fact that Italy was desperately behind most of Western Europe in almost all ways relevant to HoI IV.

If the game started in let's say 1925, maybe I can see some buffs being made overtime since if the government was made different decisions would be made leading to different starting situations for the buildup of WW2. You should have to take the country as the way it was historically in 1936 and work your way through their problems in whatever way you see fit to achieve your goals. Artificially buffing Italy because at the last minute they decided to do something else and they get major production boosts, as stated earlier, doesn't make sense and removes the major flaws of the country. India doesn't get to remove their Agrarian Society or Muslim Population issues because the country had to deal with, they can address them and make them less painful, but they will still be there at the end and in the case of the Muslim Population you have to sacrifice land to remove it. Italy is suppose to be a minor major, they are a major in Europe but outside of that they are rather small. I'd also like to point out that Italy joining the Axis didn't make it suffer such terrible defeats, so I don't know why you keep throwing that argument out. If Italy goes Italy First, you still have the same group of people running the show with the same problems as before, except now you're in competition with Germany for claiming French land, securing an alliance with Franco in Spain and keeping Austria independent on top of all the other goals of Italy First. Which ironically enough isn't really Italy First since it's all about befriending and making alliances and not conquering, maybe this could be split into two paths but another talk for another time.


Alright, you think what you think.

All i know is. italy is one of the worst majors in the game and is really just a powerful minor like France and does not need to be nerfed just because its SUPER HISTORICAL.

Give me a break. Thats why theres an alt history path... you know... so its not historical?

You're just asking for Italy nerfs and im done arguing with you about it.
 
Alright, you think what you think.

All i know is. italy is one of the worst majors in the game and is really just a powerful minor like France and does not need to be nerfed just because its SUPER HISTORICAL.

Give me a break. Thats why theres an alt history path... you know... so its not historical?

You're just asking for Italy nerfs and im done arguing with you about it.

Okay, what buffs do you want to see to Italy than? Just don't say Italy should get focuses that give them 6 military factories and they get like 3 of them, no major production boosts otdon't make their soldiers, officers and general staff god-tier to name a few. There's ways of nerfing a country but still buffing it, you can give Italy the historical situation it was in 1936 and make the country focus on one issue at a time which eventually leads to buffs. I'd be perfectly fine with giving Italy production boosts and factories down the industrial path if the player/AI works their way for it. If you want to start the game off with major buffs because you become communist in the period of 1 year, I'm going to have to disagree with you. Italy is suppose to be a challenge no matter which path of government you choose. Italy surrendered in 1943, lost badly to France in the Alps, got massacred by British troops in North Africa, lost most of their navy to biplane torpedo bombers that were outdated, used biplanes in 1945, couldn't produce a tank to save it's life and didn't realize that you didn't have to sit in a trench when you have a possible breakthrough. I get that you're saying that historical Italy should be like this, but if so, why are we punishing players for going down the historical path. Also industrial, land, sea and air focuses shouldn't be locked behind political choice trees so no matter which path you choose you should be able to fix them. I fail to see what's wrong with presenting Italy the way it. If you still disagree, I'm sorry but we'll just have to agree to disagree.
 
Okay, what buffs do you want to see to Italy than? Just don't say Italy should get focuses that give them 6 military factories and they get like 3 of them, no major production boosts otdon't make their soldiers, officers and general staff god-tier to name a few. There's ways of nerfing a country but still buffing it, you can give Italy the historical situation it was in 1936 and make the country focus on one issue at a time which eventually leads to buffs. I'd be perfectly fine with giving Italy production boosts and factories down the industrial path if the player/AI works their way for it. If you want to start the game off with major buffs because you become communist in the period of 1 year, I'm going to have to disagree with you. Italy is suppose to be a challenge no matter which path of government you choose. Italy surrendered in 1943, lost badly to France in the Alps, got massacred by British troops in North Africa, lost most of their navy to biplane torpedo bombers that were outdated, used biplanes in 1945, couldn't produce a tank to save it's life and didn't realize that you didn't have to sit in a trench when you have a possible breakthrough. I get that you're saying that historical Italy should be like this, but if so, why are we punishing players for going down the historical path. Also industrial, land, sea and air focuses shouldn't be locked behind political choice trees so no matter which path you choose you should be able to fix them. I fail to see what's wrong with presenting Italy the way it. If you still disagree, I'm sorry but we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Im not actually asking for any buffs inherently to Italy.

Im asking for better focuses that would buff Italy.

I said this a few pages back with another guy.

There should be 3 new trees.

First tree is the already existed Tree that leads historically to the Axis.

The second tree is the tree that should lead towards Italy First or the Roman Empire. This should be a nonaligned path imo.

The third tree is the African focus tree.

First and second tree will both have access to the African tree.

The historical tree should stay relatively the same. I honestly dont know what they could do with it.


The alt-history tree can use a better claims on Yugoslavia. No more of the extra world tension and just give it a wargoal for an instant declare. It doesn't even need to be an instant focus either. You put it like 5 focus's down the line, making it inline with Germany anschuluss.

Then after that do something for building in Yugoslavia. Then you get Albania annexed or whatever. Then you get a Anschuluss for Greece and then demand instanbul. From there, you have to go to war with Turkey. You dont get to just take Turkey for free. Turkey has too many good resources for that imo. That chromium.

Somewhere within the alt-history tree, they should get a national buff. I dont know what they call it, but its called All Roads Lead to Rome. This gives you a 10% infrastructure construction bonus.

I'm not the greatest at creating trees honestly, but this tree ive thought up wouldn't be OP as hell imo.

Since you're going nonaligned, you couldn't declare war on Yugoslavia until WW2 kicks off. So you couldn't get Greece or Turkey until... what 1939? 1940? Whenever Germany starts their stuff. OOh and also get war goals on Bulgaria and Romania. Heck, since Yugoslavia isn't that good of a territory, you could still let you get it early on. Would let you time a Bulgaria and Yugoslavian run.

But I say lock you out of Greece and Turkey or something.

This would keep you from joining the war against the Allies until late.

You also would not be able to join the Axis. i think it should perma lock you out.


Does this sound pretty good? It keeps you from steam rolling early like Germany does, but gives you some abilities. Im honestly unsure really if Turkey could remain the way I said or give it the Demand Sudentland/Czech treatment.


You could even give the alt-history tree something to do with british in Africa/Middle east. Like demand they decolonize. I think that's not a bad idea. But again, it wouldn't let you steam roll until 1940ish.


You could also put the Yugoslavian thing down further in the tree and have you do some nonaligned stuff. Like going through several focuses to return to whatever Roman's usually had. They changed ideologys so often hahaha.

But lets say Return of the Emperor.

You could even change Mussolini for some Julius.. uh.... well pick a random last name LMAO



Look, im not the best here but its just the thoughts ive had. Nothing too insane, but nothing too weak either.


Italy, right now, is not that good and thats fine for historical, but I say make the alt-history better as it should be since you cant be with Hitler and ideally, you'll go to war with Hitler.


OOOH OOOH


NEW IDEA NEW IDEA.

The Romans were well known for conquering right? Why not give them a requirement for like... 10% WT for declaring war? That way if you're fast enough you can steal Austria.

Then again, if you were smart, you'd declare war on Austria eearly, then move to the new one. That's always a way to play.

But once you g o down the italy first route, you have to go through the focuses to avoid civil wars etc. So you can scum the game.
 
Last edited:
See I can behind that, when you said buffs originally I thought you meant do a focus for 70 days and all your problems were gone because you went non-aligned, communist or democratic. Things like the claims on Yugoslavia is an example of base game focuses that has aged poorly, you spend 70 days and political power and generate world tension to get a thing to spend more political power, wait more and make even more world tension which can possibly put you over the 25% and screw you over.
 
See I can behind that, when you said buffs originally I thought you meant do a focus for 70 days and all your problems were gone because you went non-aligned, communist or democratic. Things like the claims on Yugoslavia is an example of base game focuses that has aged poorly, you spend 70 days and political power and generate world tension to get a thing to spend more political power, wait more and make even more world tension which can possibly put you over the 25% and screw you over.

Oh yea, Thats honestly one of my biggest gripes. Just make it a annex war goal and boom, finished.


I dont want a super OP Nation like Germany. Cause lets be frank. Its OP as hell playing Germany.

I want something that would be fun, engaging and not terribly difficult. The way I have designed my alt-history would make it so it wasn't so weak and yet isn't strong from the get go. You gotta build up. I'd even be ok with like half your army or something being removed at the end of finishing your focus's into becoming non aligned. Like a civil war that way. Like half your factories are damaged and you have to repair them ,etc.

Idk. Just thoughts :D
 
Oh yea, Thats honestly one of my biggest gripes. Just make it a annex war goal and boom, finished.

I've always hated finishing the focus, start justifying and then Japan and/or Germany does something in an instant and I see that the UK is protecting Yugoslavia, so frustrating. I still say that Italy should be weaker than Germany, which does need some major nerfs, even after building themselves up, unless Germany is getting bombed to ashes by the Allies and losing the war and Italy decided to stay out and be more diplomatic in their pursuit of a Roman Empire.
 
I've always hated finishing the focus, start justifying and then Japan and/or Germany does something in an instant and I see that the UK is protecting Yugoslavia, so frustrating. I still say that Italy should be weaker than Germany, which does need some major nerfs, even after building themselves up, unless Germany is getting bombed to ashes by the Allies and losing the war and Italy decided to stay out and be more diplomatic in their pursuit of a Roman Empire.

Im not asking for Italy to be as strong as Germany. Im just asking them not to be a joke right now.

Right now, France, Soviet Union and Italy are jokes.

Can we both agree?
 
Im not asking for Italy to be as strong as Germany. Im just asking them not to be a joke right now.

Right now, France, Soviet Union and Italy are jokes.

Can we both agree?

Yep, I just want countries to be historically portrayed, debuffs where they were and could be and buffs where they were and could be, plausible alternate history paths, good focus trees and events, AI roughly following historical operations/invasions/battles or if historical AI turned off doing what they're suppose to on their new path. France, Soviet Union, Italy and arguably German fail at. Germany at it's current strength is a joke in of itself, Soviets sit there and die, Italy doesn't have any of it's problems of real life yet fails miserably, France dying in 1939 and not having any options to stop this is bad too. All of these I'm hoping will be fixed in the future, hoping even more we get 2 for 1 with the next DLC if Italy is included with France in the major rework.
 
Yep, I just want countries to be historically portrayed, debuffs where they were and could be and buffs where they were and could be, plausible alternate history paths, good focus trees and events, AI roughly following historical operations/invasions/battles or if historical AI turned off doing what they're suppose to on their new path. France, Soviet Union, Italy and arguably German fail at. Germany at it's current strength is a joke in of itself, Soviets sit there and die, Italy doesn't have any of it's problems of real life yet fails miserably, France dying in 1939 and not having any options to stop this is bad too. All of these I'm hoping will be fixed in the future, hoping even more we get 2 for 1 with the next DLC if Italy is included with France in the major rework.


I dont mind if both sides have their 'issues' in terms of debuffs or what not, but I'd rather instead of Italy having issues within the branch of going nonaligned, they just have to go through multiple focus'es or a single big one to finish. I dunno. Just some options.

Obviously, it wont be the way I want and more than likely, Italy will remain a joke imo, but we'll see.

Im hoping for a Napoleon conquest path for France.

Im also hoping Greece gets a tree. Oh gosh how bad I want a Greece one.
 
Im hoping for a Napoleon conquest path for France.

In terms of French monarchs, personally I prefer the House of Orleans but I would be very open to the idea that you could choose one of the three houses.

Im also hoping Greece gets a tree. Oh gosh how bad I want a Greece one.

I'd prefer seeing Spain and Portugal get touched up on here, making the expansion the Latin-based countries DLC, helps gives some badly missing flavour to the really short Spanish Civil War, and while Portugal didn't really fight in the war, it seems odd to do Spain but not touch up on Portugal. I'd prefer see Greece get a makeover with Bulgaria and Turkey so you could have some fun tie-ins with the focuses and events against one and other. Of course it's not use deciding who gets fleshed out next so we'll have to wait and see.

I dont mind if both sides have their 'issues' in terms of debuffs or what not, but I'd rather instead of Italy having issues within the branch of going nonaligned, they just have to go through multiple focus'es or a single big one to finish. I dunno. Just some options.

Well for the monarchist path of Italy, Umberto, Victor Emmanuel's son, had a strong connection to Southern Italy and was beloved by a large number of people there. I could see a way of helping fix the agrarian ways in the south going away and helping the industry still being available if you go monarchist. You could also do something similar to the Great Purge or Army Corruption to represent the lack of good officers and slowly bring in new batches of more qualified personnel.
 
In terms of French monarchs, personally I prefer the House of Orleans but I would be very open to the idea that you could choose one of the three houses.



I'd prefer seeing Spain and Portugal get touched up on here, making the expansion the Latin-based countries DLC, helps gives some badly missing flavour to the really short Spanish Civil War, and while Portugal didn't really fight in the war, it seems odd to do Spain but not touch up on Portugal. I'd prefer see Greece get a makeover with Bulgaria and Turkey so you could have some fun tie-ins with the focuses and events against one and other. Of course it's not use deciding who gets fleshed out next so we'll have to wait and see.



Well for the monarchist path of Italy, Umberto, Victor Emmanuel's son, had a strong connection to Southern Italy and was beloved by a large number of people there. I could see a way of helping fix the agrarian ways in the south going away and helping the industry still being available if you go monarchist. You could also do something similar to the Great Purge or Army Corruption to represent the lack of good officers and slowly bring in new batches of more qualified personnel.

Either way, I'd like a good alt history path that helps to the roman empire.


That being said, you know the biggest buff we need to Italy.


BETTER GENERALS AND FIELD MARSHALS. AAAAAH