HOI4 Dev Diary - Acclimatization and Special Forces

[C1 Ariete]

Awesome!

 

[Cheater]

But if I want to to try using 30 mountain divisions as Italy because Italy is surrounded by hills and mountains or 30 marine divisions as Japan because I have to invade a gazillion islands and I am willing to pay the equipment and training costs for them, why not let me play what if in the HOI4 sand box?

True, that´s a problem, but what you are talking about is much more like regular soldiers who get used to a specific kind of warefare, just like they can acclimatize in 1.5.
I see a difference between SF and what you said, but thats a whole problem of the game-design right now.

Maybe, in the future, there are national spirits and/or a mechanic for your troops to adapt to mountains, rivers and amphibious assaults, while SF stay what their name implies: special and therefore rare and a bit better than regular folks.
States like the USA or Japan really need such a mechanic then, and the experience of troops could be further subdivided into the terrain they are fighting on, which would solve your problem in that way, that you can use normal infantry which slowly becomes better in fighting on a specific terrain (just like leaders already do right now) but not better in fighting in General (which is the difference to SF who should be even better than adapted infantry in general and in their specific adapted terrain), while you could also introduce some kind of technology for it (like in HoI 3).
Some nations (e.g. India) should have a national spirit in addition due to the fact, that they are already adapted to things like the jungle in a better way that -for example- the sowjets are.
But, vica versa, you also can apply that to indian troops in that way, that they are having a hard time to fight in Europe in Winter because they are not even adapted to the cold clima.

 

[Had a dad]

So if I were to say "Well bless their hearts

and I would tell you to stay away from colloquial phrases that have that connotation

Mr Lee isn't the only southerner around here

 

[Gefallener_Held]

If you don't like space marines don't use them in your SP game. If they are an issue in your MP game ban or modify their use. Many do. But if I want to to try using 30 mountain divisions as Italy because Italy is surrounded by hills and mountains or 30 marine divisions as Japan because I have to invade a gazillion islands and I am willing to pay the equipment and training costs for them, why not let me play what if in the HOI4 sand box? Raise their training time, raise their equipment costs, just don't slap an magical cap on them.

Did you read what I wrote. I actually agree with your second contention. Of course Switzerland or Italy or Greece or other mountainous countries should be limited to 5 percent mountaineers. Nor shoul anyone.

And it is not just a matter of not liking space marines. They are obviously an exploit that bear no basis in history or reality. A good way to close up that flaw in the division designer system is to put a cap on width and maybe support brigades.

 

[Sourlol]

Since you like quotas so much, how a bout a cap for tank divisions or airplanes. Surely not everyone is able to command a tank or fly an airplane, only the above average people right?

I'm pretty sure you are being sarcastic...regardless, I do think there should be a subpool for pilots. People cheated all the time to get into flight school. But it still took a long specialized training to become a viable pilot.

That training lag should be represented. And pilots should die.

a losing japan should want to use Kamikaze tactics not because they are ALWAYS better, but because their pilots are so inferiorally (is that a word?) trained the only thing they can reliably do is crash.

Im pretty sure tanks werent that way, a fighter pilot was 1 man controlling a flying tube with wings. A tank is a crew of guys reloading driving firing etc. Pretty sure a lot of your Average guys were in tanks.

 

[Ryltar]

Don't know if somebody else didn't mention this already but wouldn't it better to handle Acclimatization by using appropriate gear and equipment. People might adjust to climate but in the end it's specialized gear that keeps them feel good, healthy or even alive. We all know that there is special equipment for different climate situations. For example did the Wehrmacht do not very well in the Soviet winter because winter gear was missing or that tanks used in Northern Africa had to have special filters.

If you don't adjust to climate, attrition of equipment should be much higher and should even take it's toll on manpower. In desperate situations you could even decide to send units not fitting to battle - something that happens in desperate situations.

With all the improvements to production it would be great to have specialized equipment instead of your current idea for Waking the Tiger.

 

[Had a dad]

Im pretty sure tanks werent that way, a fighter pilot was 1 man controlling a flying tube with wings. A tank is a crew of guys reloading driving firing etc. Pretty sure a lot of your Average guys were in tanks.

almost anyone that passes a military pre employment dr visit can drive a tank, only a small % have the ability to be a proficient pilot.

Flying is easy, it's the takeoff and landing that separate those that can from corpses.

 

[Forster]

If they are going to cap special forces, then they need to buff them. These are supposedly the best of the best, but paratroopers are probably the weakest division if the game. Marines are keyed to amphibious assaults, but they were supposed to be more like elite infantry units by their training and manpower selection.

 

[RELee]

almost anyone that passes a military pre employment dr visit can drive a tank

True. Even my brother-in-law made tank driver.

 

[Had a dad]

but they were supposed to be more like elite infantry units by their training and manpower selection.

which country are you referring?

the two most famous are the US and the JAP SNLF, and both are best categorized as specialized forces rather than "elite"

 

[Gort11]

If they are going to cap special forces, then they need to buff them. These are supposedly the best of the best, but paratroopers are probably the weakest division if the game. Marines are keyed to amphibious assaults, but they were supposed to be more like elite infantry units by their training and manpower selection.

Sounds like they are buffing them by virtue of them having more technologies dedicated to them.

 

[bERt0r]

If they are going to cap special forces, then they need to buff them. These are supposedly the best of the best, but paratroopers are probably the weakest division if the game. Marines are keyed to amphibious assaults, but they were supposed to be more like elite infantry units by their training and manpower selection.

I was talking about commanding a tank, not driving one.

 

[Sourlol]

I was talking about commanding a tank, not driving one.

My understanding is the guy commanding a tank was a Sergeant. Arent airplane pilots like 2nd Lt - Major? And again I'd assert flying a plane is much more mentally and physically taxing than merely commanding the tank.

 

[Had a dad]

My understanding is the guy commanding a tank was a Sergeant. Arent airplane pilots like 2nd Lt - Major? And again I'd assert flying a plane is much more mentally and physically taxing than merely commanding the tank.

during ww2 they let warrant officers fly (Marines) and if I remember correctly noncoms could be helo pilots in the army, but now it WO and above only. All other branches officers only afaik, which was where the joke came from "Going in enlisted, choose the AF cause they only send their officers into the fight"

 

[rattatta]

You need to make it run much better, like the EU4 dev team are doing right now with their 1.24 patch because that's a huge downer when the game goes at a snail's pace in 42-43 and onward. Cool stuff though, hope it doesn't slow the game down even more.

 

[paranoidsteve]

My understanding is the guy commanding a tank was a Sergeant. Arent airplane pilots like 2nd Lt - Major? And again I'd assert flying a plane is much more mentally and physically taxing than merely commanding the tank.

The RAF had over 50% NCO pilots during WWII..they started with the rank of sergeant.

 

[Shaka of Carthage]

My understanding is the guy commanding a tank was a Sergeant. Arent airplane pilots like 2nd Lt - Major? And again I'd assert flying a plane is much more mentally and physically taxing than merely commanding the tank.

The RAF had over 50% NCO pilots during WWII..they started with the rank of sergeant.

Rank is not a good indicator of specialty training. US Army Air Force went with officers from political considerations, not abilities.

Even so, while having a separate manpower category for pilots is a good idea, it should be a much lower priority than handling specialized infantry (ie what Paradox calls Special Forces). Even then, there are other issues that should have a higher priority than adding pilots.

 

[GermanDave]

I don't think you will have enough population available to cover your soviet front with 40 width inf-art divisions with the new population mechanics. Hopefully the population changes will stop the game breaking division spam.

Germany is already quite contrained as far as recruitable population goes at least balance-wise. The real problem is that soft-power is currently OP. Adding a value that would make certain proportions of Inf and the other brigades ineffective. The thought of german soldiers dragging thousands of artilleries through the swamps into Russia just makes me chuckle.

 

[Forster]

which country are you referring?

the two most famous are the US and the JAP SNLF, and both are best categorized as specialized forces rather than "elite"

The US. Airborne are considered more than specialized. They may not be as good as rangers, but they are highly trained and motivated, as well as being selective about those qualified to serve. I think that qualifies as elite. Also, look at the battles where they have been used. They have performed exceptionally well considering they are equivalent to light infantry as opposed to regular infantry.

 

[Had a dad]

The US. Airborne are considered more than specialized. They may not be as good as rangers, but they are highly trained and motivated, as well as being selective about those qualified to serve. I think that qualifies as elite. Also, look at the battles where they have been used. They have performed exceptionally well considering they are equivalent to light infantry as opposed to regular infantry.

your previous comment was specifically about marines and so was my response... however if you wish to include airborne... and again no.

the 82nd inf div was re designated as parachute and they received training on how to ... parachute... specialized training != elite. the 101st... well google it for yourself

now if you are talking present day... there is a reason they aren't considered a SOF or SOG..