Conquering Austria: A Hearts Of Iron 4 Strategy Guide

There are several strategies to annex Austria in Hearts of Iron 4. One strategy involves playing as Germany and continually producing troops until you reach the number needed to annex Austria, which is typically around 750k manpower in the field. Another strategy is to use spies to increase support for your party in Austria, which can lead to a referendum for unification. If the referendum is rejected, you can declare war and invade. Additionally, Hungary has a unique focus tree path that allows them to reform Austria-Hungary and reclaim their historical territories. This can be achieved through peaceful unification or military conquest.

Invade Austria by demanding a referendum, then declaring war when they disagree

When playing as Hungary in Hearts of Iron IV, there are two achievements that can be pursued: 'Miklos Horthy and the Habsburg Prince' and 'Better than the Szent István'. To achieve the former, players must follow the Balanced Budget branch of the focus, elect Otto von Habsburg to the Habsburg throne, and then demand a referendum for unification with Austria. This referendum can result in either war or unification.

If your goal is to invade Austria, demanding a referendum and then declaring war when they disagree is a viable strategy. To do this, go down the Balanced Budget tree to invite the Habsburg Prince. Skip the Secret Rearmament and Bled Agreement, and instead, enact the Demand a Referendum. However, instead of allowing Austria to accept, try to make them disagree and then declare war. This approach can save time and allow you to build up troops and industry faster.

To increase the chances of Austria disagreeing with the referendum, improving relations and re-arming before making the offer is beneficial. Improving relations increases Austria's opinion of you, making them more likely to accept the referendum. Additionally, building up your military strength can make you a more formidable opponent, which may influence their decision.

Once you've demanded the referendum and Austria has disagreed, it's time to declare war. Focus on capturing major cities like Vienna and Salzburg to end the war quickly and annex Austria before Germany does the Anschluss. Station your troops along the border and be prepared to act swiftly.

It's worth noting that some players have encountered bugs or issues with the referendum mechanic in Hearts of Iron IV, so be aware that your experience may vary.

Use spies to increase popularity in Austria

To use spies to increase your popularity in Austria in Hearts of Iron 4, you must first establish an intelligence agency. This requires investing 5-15 civilian factories for 30 days to become operational. Once your agency is established, you can begin to assign operatives to carry out fieldwork and undertake missions on your behalf.

To gain additional operatives, you can acquire the "`Illusive Gentleman`" advisor, achieve certain national focuses, or assume the role of Spy Master within your faction. The Spy Master status provides you with an additional spy for every two independent nations and high autonomy puppets within your faction. The number of spies contributed by each nation is also dependent on their industry level.

With your operatives in place, you can begin to carry out operations in Austria to increase your popularity. The strength and impact of your missions will depend on the size and strength of your spy network. To increase the size of your network, continue to invest in upgrading your intelligence agency. Each upgrade requires a variable amount of civilian factories to be invested for 30 days, although this time can be reduced by 15% if you employ the "Illusive Gentleman" advisor.

As your spy network grows, you can undertake more complex operations. Possible operations include improving relations with Austria, increasing your popularity, and influencing public opinion in your favor. By successfully executing these operations, you can increase your popularity in Austria and work towards achieving your annexation goals. Remember to be patient as establishing a strong spy network takes time and resources.

As Germany, form an alliance against communism

Playing as Germany in Hearts of Iron IV, you have the option to form an alliance against communism, specifically targeting the communist threat of the Soviet Union. To do this, you can follow the German national focus tree, which includes a sub-branch that restores Germany's monarchy under Wilhelm II, recreating the German Empire. This sub-branch also provides war goals against the British and the French and allows for the restoration of the Italian and Austro-Hungarian monarchies.

By choosing this sub-branch, Germany can also form an alliance with eastern nations to combat the communist threat posed by the Soviet Union. This alliance includes countries such as Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, and other eastern European nations. It is important to note that forming this alliance against communism is part of a broader strategy to reshape Europe and prepare for the next world war.

Additionally, Germany can choose to be subordinate to the British and ally with them while fighting against communist France. This adds another dimension to the anti-communist alliance, creating a united front against communist factions in both Eastern and Western Europe. Germany's strong military history, innovative thinking, and technical prowess, including its powerful Luftwaffe, position it as a key player in this alliance.

To successfully form and lead this alliance, Germany should focus on building up its military strength and continuing its tradition of bold strategic decisions. This involves modernizing its armed forces, including its battleships, U-boats, and Air Force, to project power and strike fear into its enemies. By doing so, Germany can effectively lead the alliance against communism and pursue its geopolitical objectives.

Furthermore, Germany can employ aggressive strategies, such as demanding a referendum for unification with Austria, as seen in the Kingdom of Hungary gameplay. If Austria denies the referendum, Germany can invade and quickly capture Vienna and Salzburg to annex Austria before the war breaks out. This strategy demonstrates Germany's ability to adapt and take decisive actions to further its interests.

As Hungary, elect Otto von Habsburg to the Habsburg throne

When playing as Hungary in Hearts of Iron 4, you can gain the 'Habsburg Prince' achievement by electing Otto von Habsburg to the Habsburg throne. Otto von Habsburg was the last crown prince of Austria-Hungary from 1916 until the dissolution of the empire in November 1918. In 1922, he became the pretender to the throne, head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and sovereign of the Order of the Golden Fleece upon the death of his father.

To elect Otto von Habsburg to the throne in the game, you must first follow the Balanced Budget branch of the focus. This allows Hungary to end the regency and elect a non-aligned Habsburg king, Otto von Habsburg of Austria, as their ruler. This path involves rebuilding the Austro-Hungarian Empire by reuniting with Austria and Czechoslovakia, which also means opposing German designs for these countries.

After electing Otto, you must then demand a referendum for unification with Austria. There are two outcomes to this referendum: war or unification. To peacefully unify, you must spend political power to improve relations with Austria, and they must have a very good opinion of you by the referendum. If Austria agrees to unify, it means they have voted to reunite. However, if Austria denies the referendum, you will need to go to war. Station your troops on the border and head for the cities. Capturing Vienna and Salzburg will allow you to annex Austria before Germany does the Anschluss.

It is important to note that Hungary has fundamental problems, such as a lack of manpower, resources, and civilian industry, which can hinder its rearmament efforts. Additionally, improving relations with Austria before the referendum can be challenging, and you may need to invest significant political power.

Increase your chances of a successful referendum by completing the Reintegrate the Railroads focus

To increase the chances of a successful referendum and the peaceful unification of Austria and Hungary in Hearts of Iron IV, there are several strategies you can employ. Firstly, it is important to follow the Balanced Budget branch of the focus tree and elect Otto von Habsburg to the Habsburg throne. This sets the stage for demanding a referendum for unification.

To ensure a positive outcome, you can increase your chances by improving relations with Austria. This can be done by spending political power, which will help sway their opinion in your favour. If the referendum is still not successful, you have a few more strategies to try. One option is to complete the "Reintegrate the Railroads" focus, which can help improve your chances for a successful referendum. While some players suggest that this may not be necessary and can be done earlier in the game, it is a viable option if other attempts have failed.

Another strategy is to duplicate your save file and try different approaches to see what works best. This way, you can always go back to a previous save if one attempt doesn't yield the desired results. Additionally, you can try increasing relations with Austria and then attempting the referendum again. If all these attempts still result in failure, you may need to resort to more aggressive tactics, such as declaring war and invading Austria.

It is worth noting that the path to forming Austria-Hungary is relatively straightforward, but it requires careful planning and decision-making. Completing the "Reintegrate the Railroads" focus is just one part of the strategy, and it should be used in conjunction with other tactics to increase your chances of success.

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