Austria-Hungary's Formation: A Guide To Hoi4's Waking Tiger

Hearts of Iron IV's Waking the Tiger expansion allows players to form Austria-Hungary as Austria, Czechoslovakia, or Croatia after conquering the necessary territory. However, players cannot form Austria-Hungary as Hungary without the Death or Dishonor DLC. The formation of Austria-Hungary in Waking the Tiger requires careful timing due to the Treaty of Trianon, and players must balance their power to avoid being overshadowed by Germany.

The Treaty of Trianon

It is worth noting that the United States did not ratify the Treaty of Trianon. Instead, it negotiated a separate peace treaty that did not contradict the terms of the Trianon Treaty. This reflects the complex diplomatic landscape surrounding the treaty and the broader historical context of the time.

Austria-Hungary's dissolution

The dissolution of Austria-Hungary was a significant political event that occurred due to the growth of internal social contradictions and the separation of different parts of the empire. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a multinational constitutional monarchy in Central Europe from 1867 to 1918, consisting of two sovereign states, Austria and Hungary, with a single monarch. The immediate reasons for its collapse were World War I, the 1918 crop failure, starvation, and an economic crisis.

The empire had been weakened over time by a widening gap between Hungarian and Austrian interests, with repeated disputes over shared external tariff arrangements and financial contributions to the common treasury. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848, which was crushed by the Austrians with Russian help, further increased Hungarian resentment of Habsburg rule. The Empire faced severe defeats in the Second Italian War of Independence and the Austro-Prussian War in the 1860s, which led to the loss of Northern Italian territories and the dissolution of the German Confederation. These defeats forced the central government in Vienna to negotiate with Hungarian political leaders, resulting in the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which established the dual monarchy.

However, disputes between the two parts of the monarchy continued, leading to a prolonged constitutional crisis in the early 1900s. As World War I progressed, nationalist movements gained momentum, calling for full independence. The Italian front's military breakdown marked the start of the rebellion for the numerous ethnicities within the empire, as they refused to fight for a cause that appeared senseless. The Austro-Hungarian Army lost its morale and was increasingly unable to hold its ground. Leftist and liberal movements in Vienna and Budapest supported the separatism of ethnic minorities, further contributing to the empire's disintegration.

The final scenes of the dissolution occurred rapidly in October 1918. On October 24, a Hungarian National Council was established in Budapest, advocating for peace and separation from Austria. On October 28, the Czechoslovak committee in Prague declared an independent state, and a similar Polish committee was formed in Kraków. The following day, the Croats in Zagreb declared their independence, and on October 30, the German members of the Reichsrat in Vienna proclaimed an independent state of German Austria. The armistice between the Allies and Austria-Hungary was signed on November 3, 1918, and became effective the next day. The collapse of the empire was formalized legally in the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye with Austria and the 1920 Treaty of Trianon with Hungary.

The Kingdom of Hungary

Hungary's strategic position in Eastern Europe and its access to critical resources like steel, tungsten, and chrome make it an important player in the region. Its army, while not as strong as Romania's, still possesses substantial military might. Liberating core provinces such as Vojodina and West Banat becomes a crucial aspect of Hungary's strategy. Additionally, defeating Yugoslavia becomes more feasible when territorial concessions are gained from Romania.

When it comes to forming Austria-Hungary in Hearts of Iron IV: Waking the Tiger, the process differs slightly depending on the chosen nation. As Hungary, the Death or Dishonor DLC is required, and the focus tree provided allows for the formation of Austria-Hungary. This involves ending the regency and electing a ruler, with three options available: a Democratic king, a Fascist king, or a Non-Aligned Habsburg king. Each choice has distinct consequences, with the Democratic king fostering closer ties with Sweden and the Allies, the Fascist king aligning with Germany and the Axis, and the Non-Aligned Habsburg king seeking to rebuild the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

On the other hand, as Austria or other nations like Czechoslovakia or Croatia, the Waking the Tiger DLC enables the decision to form Austria-Hungary after conquering the necessary territories. However, it is important to note that this is a decision and not a focus tree, and it is not available for Hungary without the Death or Dishonor DLC. The timing of this decision is crucial, as building up too much may result in Germany completing the Anschluss first.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire

In the game, players can attempt to rebuild this empire by pursuing different paths. One way is through Hungary, where players can end the regency and elect a Democratic, Fascist, or Non-Aligned Habsburg king. Choosing the Non-Aligned Habsburg king, Otto von Habsburg of Austria, involves an endeavour to reunite with Austria and Czechoslovakia, generating claims on lost lands in neighbouring countries. This path opposes German designs for these countries and requires careful timing and balance, as Hungary is one of the more challenging nations to play.

Another way to form Austria-Hungary is through the "Royal Route," which involves five focuses, or an Economic Intervention route with three focuses, although the latter brings negative perks. Additionally, players can play as Austria and, after conquering necessary territories, make the decision to form Austria-Hungary. However, this path is not without its challenges, as players must navigate the new stability system and carefully manage their military strength relative to Germany's.

The Waking the Tiger DLC provides the ability to form Austria-Hungary, but for the Hungarian focus tree, the Death or Dishonor DLC is required, offering an easier path to achieving this goal. Ultimately, forming the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Waking the Tiger demands a well-thought-out strategy and a bit of luck, especially when managing the complex relationships with other nations, such as Germany.

Germany's Integrated War Economies focus

The "Hearts of Iron IV" expansion pack "Waking the Tiger" offers an overhauled and expanded German focus tree, including new focuses for the Industrial, Air, Naval, and Fascist paths. Players can now put Field Marshals in charge of Generals leading armies to get bonuses from both.

The "Germany's Integrated War Economies" focus allows players to get two puppets, Romania and Hungary, without increasing Tension. Romania provides access to cheaper oil, which is very beneficial. However, some players prefer to manually go to war economy and invade these countries, as the Integrated War Economies focus can take a lot of time.

Players can also choose to take the Industrial Focuses for the first year of play, which is around 4-5 Focuses. This can be followed by going down the Autarky path and the 2 Civ Focuses to get an extra Research slot early.

The Waking the Tiger expansion offers a lot of changes and improvements to the base game, including the ability to oppose Hitler and install Communism or Democracy in Japan.

Frequently asked questions