Forming Bavaria In Hearts Of Iron Iv: Strategies And Tips

To form Bavaria in Hearts of Iron IV, players must utilize strategic alliances and military expansion. While Bavaria is not the easiest country to start with, it offers a challenging and rewarding experience. Players should focus on improving their economy and strengthening their position within the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). This involves allying with the emperor, forming alliances with other countries, and attacking weaker nations with smaller alliances. Additionally, players can aim to become the emperor themselves by improving relations with electors. Economic strategies include deleting forts, avoiding advisors, and minimizing army maintenance to free up resources for other investments.

Dismantle Germany into smaller duchies

Dismantling Germany into smaller duchies is possible through the French national focus tree, specifically the monarchist sub-branch. This path is only available with the La Résistance expansion, which adds a monarchist sub-branch and expands the communist and fascist sub-branches.

The Council of Rambouillet sub-branch allows France to restore the French monarchy from either the House of Orléans, Bourbon, or Bonaparte. The Orléanist section gives France war goals against Germany and Italy. The Légitimist section gives France an alliance, an annexation or war goal on Spain. The Bonapartist section gives France war goals against the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the Soviet Union. It also has a focus to split Germany into 7-9 different countries.

France, led by Napoleon IV, can dismantle Germany into various smaller duchies through focus. However, the La Résistance expansion is required to access this feature.

Play as Bavaria without DLC

Playing as Bavaria without DLC in Hearts of Iron IV is possible, but it requires some knowledge of the game mechanics and strategies. Here are some tips to get you started:

First, it's important to understand that Bavaria is part of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) at the start of the game. A simple strategy for any country within the HRE is to ally with the emperor and other countries, then attack weaker nations with smaller alliances. If you want to become the emperor yourself, focus on improving relations with all the electors so that they vote for you.

When it comes to expansion and economic development, here are some key considerations:

• Delete unnecessary forts and avoid using advisors to save money.
• Build temples, markets, churches, and workshops to boost your economy.
• Look for opportunities to ally with Austria and other medium-sized countries, especially those rivalled by your targets.
• Take advantage of personal unions to expand your influence.
• Rival countries that are rivals of major powers such as Austria, France, Poland, or Bohemia to make them more inclined to ally with you.
• Take advantage of unique missions that give bonuses to relationship improvement speed to expand your influence more quickly.

Remember that as Bavaria, you may face challenges with a slow economy and difficulty in expanding. Be patient, focus on building your economy, and wait for opportunities to arise through shifting alliances.

Additionally, if you're looking to form a specific nation, such as Austria-Hungary, it's worth noting that this may not be possible without certain DLCs. However, you can still achieve similar results through console commands or mods.

Ally the emperor

To form Bavaria in Hearts of Iron IV, it is important to ally the emperor. This is a crucial strategy for any country within the Holy Roman Empire (HRE). Here are some detailed instructions and tips to help you ally the emperor and form Bavaria:

• Start as Bavaria: This is the first step to forming Bavaria. Choose Bavaria as your starting country.
• Ally the Emperor: Identify which country is currently the emperor of the HRE. This can be done by checking the HRE menu and hovering over the emperor's portrait. Typically, it is Austria. Focus on improving your relationship with them and try to ally with them as soon as possible. Having the emperor as your ally provides several benefits and makes your expansion efforts easier.
• Improve Relations with Electors: Work on improving your relationships with the electors within the HRE. Electors are the ones who vote for the emperor, and it is important to get them on your side. You can mouse over their portraits in the HRE menu to see the exact reasons why they do or do not support you.
• Expand Strategically: Look for smaller or weaker alliances that you can attack. Focus on expanding your territory by targeting countries with weaker alliances. This will help you grow your power and influence within the HRE.
• Become the Emperor: If you want to become the emperor yourself, focus on allying and improving relations with all electors you can (so they vote for you).
• Avoid Coalitions: To prevent coalitions from forming against you, invest in the Influence and Diplomatic ideas. This will allow you to expand without drawing too much aggression from other countries.
• Form Personal Unions: Getting personal unions is a good way to expand your influence and power base.
• Restart the Game: If Austria and Bohemia are not rivalled, consider restarting the game until they are. This will create more opportunities for expansion, as you can ally with Austria and call them into wars against Bohemia.
• Focus on Economy and Expansion: Bavaria may struggle with economic growth and expansion, so it is important to focus on these aspects. Delete unnecessary forts, avoid using advisors, and minimise army maintenance to save money. Invest in buildings that boost your economy, such as churches, workshops, and manufactories.
• Vassalize Ansbach: This is a quick way to gain a vassal and expand your influence early in the game.
• Watch for Opportunities: Keep an eye on shifting alliances and take advantage of them. For example, if Austria is allied with countries like Ulm or Nurenberg, you can attack those Free Cities without directly going to war with Austria.
• Peace Deals: When making peace deals, focus on gaining cash rather than taking territory to avoid coalitions and annoying your allies. You can then use this cash to invest in your economy and infrastructure.
• Ally with Medium-Sized Countries: Form alliances with medium-sized countries around you, especially those that are rivals with countries you want to target for expansion. This will provide you with stronger allies and more opportunities for growth.
• Improve Military: As Bavaria, you may face challenges with military might and expansion. Focus on improving your military capabilities by investing in technology and equipment upgrades.

By following these strategies and keeping your allies strong, you will be well on your way to forming Bavaria in Hearts of Iron IV. Remember to adapt your tactics based on the dynamic nature of the game, and don't be afraid to restart if you feel you need a better starting position. Good luck, and have fun!

Restart until Austria and Bohemia rival each other

If you want to form Bavaria in Hearts of Iron IV, it is recommended to restart the game until Austria and Bohemia rival each other. This is because the Bohemian lands are a great place to expand your empire, and you will need Austria's help to do so. When Austria and Bohemia are rivals, you can call on Austria to join your war with the promise of land. If Bohemia is allied with Ulm or Nurenberg, this is even better, as they are Free Cities and you cannot attack them without going to war with Austria.

Once you have defeated Bohemia, you can take them in a separate peace and then wait a bit before repeating the process. You can call on Austria again to help you attack Bohemia, and you can do the same with Poland if they are mutual rivals with Bohemia. This strategy will help you expand your empire and form Bavaria. However, keep in mind that this may require multiple restarts until you get the ideal conditions with Austria and Bohemia as rivals.

Improve relations with electors

To improve relations with electors in Hearts of Iron IV, there are several strategies you can employ. Firstly, focus on building strong alliances with the emperor and other countries. This will provide you with support and increase your influence. Attack weaker countries with smaller alliances, and be mindful of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) dynamics. Improving relations with all electors is crucial, as they will vote for you to become emperor. Utilise your diplomatic skills to build positive relationships and gain favour.

Another strategy is to become a vassal of an existing elector and work towards integration. While integrating a vassal does not make you an elector, inheriting a Personal Union (PU) upon the monarch's death will grant you that status. Alternatively, you can annex another elector, but this approach relies on having high relations with Austria, who will then select you as the new elector.

Additionally, starting as one of the Bavarian minors and forming Bavaria can be advantageous. You will receive a PU mission on Palatinate, followed by another mission that gives the emperor the option to grant you elector status. If you become the emperor during this process, you can appoint yourself as an elector.

Remember that electors tend to favour tiny monarchies with high relations, typically up to four provinces in size. They also occasionally bestow elector status on theocracies or republics with similar characteristics. Understanding these dynamics will help you navigate your path to becoming an elector.

Frequently asked questions