Summary
Hearts of Iron 4has become amuch more complex gamesince its initial release in 2016. Players now have more control than ever over their nations in the lead-up to the 20th century’s greatest catastrophe, the Second World War. Fans have a diverse plethora of countries to choose from, many of them containing their own unique National Focus Trees.
SinceHearts of Iron 4can be so complex, beginners may be a little intimidated when it comes to choosing their first country. Starting a new game with an easy nation is the best way to learn the ropes without getting frustrated. Luckily, there are a few choices that stand out from the pack.
New players should start with the 1936 bookmark to familiarize themselves with the game’s many mechanics.
Updated on June 20, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam:With the Graveyard of Empires Country Pack providing unique National Focus trees for countries like Afghanistan, India, Iran, and Iraq, fans of the acclaimed grand strategy franchise might be excited to see how they can use these countries and bring them to glory at a time when the world has practically determined its slate of superpowers. However, players who want a bit more of a challenge might want to sink their shoes into the game’s easier countries and see how far they can take them into the game’s much tougher difficulties. While these smaller nations don’t boast as much firepower compared to the game’s heavy hitters, their ease of use can help players learn more about the game.
Faction
None
Although initially declared neutral inthe beginning stages of World War 2,Bulgariain history is set to be on the receiving end of Axis pressure to join their side of the war. And while Bulgaria ends up being the only Axis country to have added to its lands post-WW2, players can transform Bulgaria into an early-game heavy-hitter in theirHearts of Iron 4gameplay with the revamped National Focus Tree from the Battle of the Bosporus Expansion.
With the expansion, Bulgaria will face internal strife among its factions, and choices in the National Focus Tree will likely vastly change its dynamics. Following a historical path, an Axis-aligned Bulgaria can use its special core-creating mechanic to force both democratic or communist Balkan states to give cores to them all at once. And while Bulgaria likes overall manpower, its National Focus Tree compensates by giving a lot of room for strong military power, giving them the capacity to dominate wars in the region.
Neutral, Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere
Players who appreciate dealing with nations with “personal” stakes will take an interest in playing the Empire ofManchukuo, historically a Japanese puppet state after their invasion of Manchuria. While the nation begins in a similar manner inHearts of Iron 4gameplay, players will be given the tools necessary to build up Manchukuo as not just a well-defined nation but one powerful enough to free itself from Japanese control and even with room to restore the glory of the Qing Dynasty.
Should players manage to deal with the country’s Low Legitimacy National Spirit and Banditry problem, a stabilized Manchukuo can use its National Focuses (Invite Japanese Settlers, Invite Foreign Investors, Collective Farms, Expand the Textile Industry, The Manchurian Project) can expand the nation as an industrial superpower. Once Manchukuo uses its stockpile of wealth and research to build a sizable army, the nation can simply wait for Japan to wage war against China before sweeping in to kill two birds with one stone. After this, it was up to Manchukuo to unite a wartorn China and fight the Qing Dynasty for control.
Neutral
Historically considered the sixth most powerful European country in 1936,Polandwill find itself torn between the Soviet Union and the German Reich - something that will make the nation’s position extra precarious due to starting with a weak economy. InHearts of Iron 4gameplay, the economy can bog down Poland’s overall progress - something players can do by rushing to gain certain National Focuses (Agrarian Reform, Clamp Down on Danzig, Integrate Gdansk Industries) to restabilize the economy.
Completing the April Constitution Path as a Sanationist Poland is considered among the nation’s best paths, as its bonuses to building slots, manpower, production output, and overall political power can make navigating the endgame much easier.
Comintern
As a small nation bordering Mongolia and Russia,Tannu Tuvaslowly became more aligned with the ideals of the Soviet Union beforethe advent of World War 2. Players can capitalize on Tannu Tuva’s location in theirHearts of Iron 4gameplay by taking advantage of their relationship with the Soviet Union to ensure China won’t be a bother to them. Staying Communist will help Tannu Tuva secure its manpower buffs.
Having the Soviet Union as an ally early on can help Tannu Tuva gain a foothold in China even before Japan sets its sights on the region, which should enable Tannu Tuva to fend them off and secure control over the area. The ideal strategy here is to attack Sinkiang and then Xibei San Ma until the Marco Polo Bridge incident occurs. When Japan finally attacks China, Tannu Tuva also goes on the offensive and calls for Russian support. Alternatively, players can improve their forts in Kyzyl and attack Russia by 1938 - a time when the rest of the Axis will be busy in the West and players have room to secure half the country under their control.
Given the geopolitics ofMexicoat the start ofHearts of Iron 4playthroughs, its status as a Guarantee of the United States makes it a relatively protected nation. War Goals scattered across the North and South as well as potential Cores in Central America can give Mexico access to decent territory on top of powerful Manpower and Industry. It’s possible to slowly build up to become a power strong enough to match the United States before the Allies could even react.
While it’s true that Mexico constantly has to juggle its religious leanings in order to trigger Civil Wars, their occurrences shouldn’t give players a lot of disadvantages in the long run. Players who want to train inHearts of Iron 4warfare should consider investing in Central America, as the United Kingdom’s stake in Belize will Guarantee nearby Democracies and aid players.
The lack of general activity in South AmericathroughoutHearts of Iron 4gameplaycan makeArgentinaan attractive starter nation. Since it’s likely to be Guaranteed by the United States, it’s possible for players to capitalize on Argentina’s Army and Navy against nearby Brazil and Chile and expand outward with relative safety.
Due to their safe position, players should start an Argentina playthrough by focusing on their Industry to boost their Civilian and Military Factories and overall Infrastructure. As Argentina is a Neutral nation, they can unlock the Fascist parts of the Focus Tree while avoiding the Ideology by countering with Democratic or Communist Ministers. By doing this, players can benefit from the aggressive-leaning benefits of Fascism without going full into the route. This position also enables players to choose whichever Ideology they desire, be it full Fascist and join the Axis, Communist and join the Comintern, or siding with the Allies.
Neutral (1936), Chinese United Front (1939)
Despite starting to fracture due to threats from Japan and being torn by civil wars,Nationalist Chinahas many opportunities todominateHearts of Iron 4gameplaywith its sheer manpower and production. Should players learn how to counter Japan’s invasion, they may very well turn the tide and take Japan for themselves and start their own global conquest.
Nationalist China’s clear goal of having to defend itself from Japan makes the country an excellent way of learning Land Warfare and overall Production. The initial war against Japan is fairly straightforward, as China has the northeast and the coast to look after and the manpower to actually mount a sizable defense. Despite the focus on Japan, Nationalist China remains a Major and therefore possesses a decent economy and strong potential for growth.
Axis (Leader)
Due to the nature ofGermanyas a Major, beginners should consider using the country to learn how to be more proactive in theirHearts of Iron 4gameplay. Its straightforward Focus Tree allows players to reap benefits while learning the game’s mechanics, and Germany’s initial allies can act as a safety net to develop its already-promising Industry before starting any wars.
Germany’s sheer production potential allows players to maneuver their way around the game and slowly improve whichever aspects of gameplay they want to master. Micromanaging Germany’s vast resources can take time to get used to, allowing players to commit worthwhile mistakes and eventually learn how to counteract them.
New players may want to seriously consider one of thehistorically neutral countries of WW2(with Historical AI turnedon). With this in mind, Sweden represents a solid choice. Out of all the Scandinavian countries, Sweden is the most powerful. Unlike Denmark, Norway, and Finland, the Swedes are in no immediate danger from the Germans or Soviets.
Although Sweden lacks a huge manpower pool, it can make use of several valuable natural resources, particularly Steel and Tungsten. Its army and navy are small, but also easy to manage. New players can practice experimenting with division templates and ship/aircraft design without having to worry about being thrust into war in a handful of years.
Sweden also utilizes a generic Focus Tree, which is useful since the generic trees are straightforward to understand. Thus, beginners can familiarize themselves with how bonuses work in relation to their military and industrial capabilities. Lastly, beginners can practice their first war with one of Sweden’s weaker neighbors, such as Denmark or Finland.
Like Sweden, Portugal is another country that historically maintained its neutrality during WW2. Assuming that fans are playing with the Historical AI, Portugal occupies a safe position on the Iberian peninsula; Spain is its only neighbor. Portugal also has a few colonies spread across the map, so players can familiarize themselves with the Subjects mechanic. Their dominions aren’t as far-flung as Great Britain’s colonies, so players will have an easier time learning the basics.
Portugal has a fun and unique National Focus Tree, giving new players a sense of direction in terms of how they want to rule their country. Beginners can get a sense of how the Ship Designer feature works since Portugal’s navy is minuscule. Finally, players with an eye for expansion may want to consider a war against Spain, which is often militarily exhausted after their civil war.
