Hearts Of Iron 4: Best Division Templates

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the strengths of various divisions is crucial to ensuring success in different theaters of war.
• The optimal division design in
  Hearts of Iron 4
  depends on the terrain and combat width restrictions.
• Different division templates cater to specific purposes, from defense to anti-tank to speed.

Hearts of Iron 4’s division designer gives players a whole lot of freedom in creating their ideal divisions, but what exactly is the most optimal design? Well, that depends on the theater. Hearts of Iron 4’s combat width system only allows a certain number of divisions to take part in a single battle at one time, and combat width itself is dependent on the type of terrain.

Going over terrain width can result in some pretty heavy penalties to combat performance, so it’s important to design templates that can fit as many divisions as possible into the terrain width without receiving a penalty. Fortunately, there are plenty of viable options players can utilize.

Updated September 23, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Arms Against Tyranny being the recent DLC for Hearts of Iron 4 released for players, fans of the grand strategy title might be wondering just when will Paradox Interactive launch new content after this 2023 update. While players eagerly await new DLC for Hearts of Iron 4, however, they can still enjoy the game by tinkering with its major mechanics.

Players who want to get into war with a powerful army first need to learn how to make the best Division templates for their country. While some must-try Division templates need tinkering to fit specific situations, knowing how some basic setups work can help players in need of a quick build. Among recommended Divisions include those that support early-game aggression, form different kinds of defensive layers, and one that capitalizes on terrain bonuses.

1 35-Width Infantry: Early Game Aggression

Good For Starting Plains Domination

Players who want to get a head start when it comes to offensive plays in Hearts of Iron 4 won’t experience a lot of difficulty with 35-Width Infantry: Early Game Aggression. Its 35-Width setup makes this Division decent in most Plains engagements, with its composition fairly achievable within the parameters of the early parts of the game. Its Artillery composition, although not as potent in the late-game, makes it a decent starting point to push locations when players want to poke at enemies to test their defenses.

However, it should be noted that this particular setup won’t necessarily work in multiplayer given the relative weakness of Artillery comps. Players who are still getting the hang of the game would have a lot of fun with this setup in single-player, however, making this a decent beginner template to improve upon.

2 26-Width Mountaineers: Maximize Terrain Bonuses

Utilize Terrain Bonuses With Mountaineer, Flame Tank Specs

Players who want a direct upgrade to their basic Infantry Division can opt for 26-Width Mountaineers, which takes advantage of the more specialized nature of the Mountaineers as a more spammable unit compared to the traditional Marines. Moreover, their robust Defense makes them perfect for defending points.

Using this build makes for a decent mid-game protective barrier when defending most regions. However, players can optimize this further with the inclusion of the Medium Flame Tank – which not only supplements more sustainable plays but also provides the Division with massive terrain bonuses.

3 21-Width Infantry: Rocket Go Boom

Small But Cheap, Multi-Terrain Defensive Division

Players who want an efficient and affordable Division for their defensive plays in the late game will appreciate the 21-Width Infantry: Rocket Go Boom kit. This kit essentially capitalizes on a 21-Width Division with a single Rocket Artillery unit, giving players access to spectacular Defense with decent Soft Attack and Breakthrough – practically giving them a Division that can hold the line in case of emergencies.

Players should note that this particular setup works best in Jungle and Forest tiles, as players can easily reinforce these locations. In the early game, this kit can be outfitted with even a single unit of basic Artillery to transform this into a spammable defensive Division.

4 18-Width Infantry: Cheap Guard

Basic Division For Holding The Line

Before players begin to dabble into more complex parts of Hearts of Iron 4 gameplay, it’s important they get more familiar with the basic way of forming Divisions. Thankfully, an 18-Width Infantry: Cheap Guard proves even a “simple” squad of nine Infantry units could be enough to hold a defensive line when used correctly.

Players pushed on defending regions wouldn’t go wrong with this setup. This cheap infantry Division possesses decent enough Soft Attack, Hard Attack, and Defense to deal with most units while being sustainably refreshed. While certainly not an ideal option for most encounters, players who need to whip out a quick defense before fortifying with reinforcements won’t go wrong with this setup.

5 38-Width Infantry: All-Around Option

Create A Balance Between Decent Attack And Defense

Players who want to create a solid infantry division for their Hearts of Iron 4 gameplay should consider going for the 38-Width Infantry approach, specifically for its decent balance between offensive and defensive options. Its grouping of basic Infantry and Artillery units combined with Signals and Rangers Support should help players pack enough Soft Attack and Defense to take on most threats.

This setup should be adequate for fortifying most locations or even accompanying tank divisions, especially with how the setup is capable of fighting other Infantry units that will likely be assigned as backups for armored divisions. Its Breakthrough is decent enough to guarantee some measure of survivability throughout incursions, although they’ll still need backup for larger skirmishes.

6 44-Width Mountaineers: Dominate The Defensive Without Sacrificing Offense

All-Around Defensive Option

Players who want to capitalize on the presence of their Special Forces in an Infantry Division should consider using the 44-Width Mountaineers for their Hearts of Iron 4 playthrough. This more fortified setup features a Medium Tank and three Light Tanks to accompany the major Artillery units and one Anti-Air unit, making this a more all-around division template for players to use in skirmishes.

The high Soft Attack and impressive Breakthrough ensure the 44-Width Mountaineers should be able to hold off against other lighter targets such as fellow Infantry, and even against some degree of armored divisions. However, their high Defense makes them suitable for fortifying locations while the rest of the player’s armies attack enemies, giving them more incentives to pursue targets other than base maintenance.

7 34-Width Mechanized: Stop Enemies In Their Tracks

Perfect For Encirclements

Players who want to supplement their tank divisions in their Hearts of Iron 4 gameplay with a powerful backup should do so with Mechanized Infantry, specifically within the 34-Width Mechanized template. Traditionally, this setup should be used alongside tank divisions to make encirclements much easier to accomplish, as their firepower should be enough to push the enemy’s own armor divisions.

However, players may also consider grouping 34-Width Mechanized divisions to maximize their damage potential. Their ability to hold out on their own when grouped together can make them efficient pushing units, taking control of enemy territory much faster without the need to risk tank divisions that may be needed elsewhere.

8 34-Width Light Tanks: Light Is Cheap, Mobile, And Effective

Cheap Starting Tank Division

When players get access to Light Tanks for their faction, the 34-Width Light Tanks template is a must-try to dominate early on. While not as optimal in multiplayer matches of this grand strategy title due to other players having more nuanced strategies, a 34-Width Light Tank division in single-player should allow players to mow down most light vehicles with their high starting Hard Attack and decent Breakthrough.

With the right setup in this grand strategy title, players may even use this Light Tank division to outpace the other tank divisions of other factions courtesy of their advantage in speed. Should players need a mobile and dependable tank division for more basic skirmishes, the 34-Width Light Tanks template should get the job done before players have to whip out the big guns.

9 21-Width Infantry: Good All-Rounders

The Best Low-Cost Option

The standard, go-to template for most players, this 21-Width Infantry division is relatively low-cost, reliable, and performs well in most terrains, especially forest and jungle. It works best as a basic infantry unit, used to hold the line or make a general push along the front.

Finish the design off with support companies and produce en-masse!

Theatres with lots of forests and plains, like Europe, are especially favorable to this template. It’s also highly adaptable, with players able to choose between 9-1 or 6-3 infantry to artillery, depending on production capabilities. Finish the design off with support companies (artillery, engineer, and recon are usually the strongest) and produce en-masse!

10 15-Width Infantry: Desert Specialists

The Best Option For Campaigns In Africa

If players are looking for a cheaper and lighter variant of the standard infantry template, a 15-width is their best bet. Requiring less equipment and manpower than bigger divisions, this 15-Width Infantry template is best used in theaters with a limited amount of supply.

Deploy these as frontline desert infantry and reap the benefits!

It performs especially well in the desert, with six divisions able to fit into a 90-width desert if attacking from one direction and a further three divisions if attacking from multiple directions. This makes it an ideal choice for campaigns in Africa: deploy these as frontline desert infantry and reap the benefits!

11 10-Width Infantry: Cheap And Cheerful

The Best Guard

Using this 10-Width Infantry template is best used to guard a territory, protecting key ports and coastlines from naval invasion. While relatively simple in design, they shouldn’t be seeing too much combat, so there isn’t any need to invest in more expensive designs to do the same job.

These are best used to guard a territory!

However, if important ports are coming under heavy attack, it may be beneficial to add more infantry to upgrade the division to a 20-Width or add anti-air support to assist with the fight in the sky. Alternatively, to make these divisions even cheaper, remove the engineer support company.

12 21-Width Anti-Tank: Panzer Wreckers

Don’t Worry About The Tanks

A division with one purpose and one purpose alone, this 21-Width Anti-Tank template should be deployed to stop the onslaught of an armored offensive. Whether struggling to keep S.S. Panzers at bay as the Soviets or looking for a way to deal with the seemingly endless supply of American tanks as the Germans, anti-tank divisions can be extremely beneficial.

These tank busters should be deployed to stop the onslaught of an armored offensive!

Their only downside is that they perform poorly against other types of divisions, but once the tank threat has subsided, players can quite easily replace the anti-tank battalions with more infantry or artillery to bring the division back up to speed.

13 42-Width Infantry: Powerful On The Offense

Make Better Use Of All The Manpower

If lacking the resources or fuel for an armored offensive, creating a set of 42-Width Infantry templates is the player’s next best bet. They double up on soft attacks and breakthroughs, allowing them to better deal with and route standard front-line divisions. Their defense is boosted in the same way, making it all the more difficult for enemy divisions to recapture their lost territory.

A decent option for countries with lots of manpower but limited industry!

While they won’t compare to tank divisions in terms of raw power, these infantry divisions remain a decent option for countries with lots of manpower but limited industry, such as China.

14 25-Width Mountaineers: Strong, But Situational

Suitable For Mountain Warfare

Predictably, these divisions excel in mountain warfare. Slightly beefier than regular infantry, this 25-Width Mountaineers template is designed to fit three of these Mountaineer divisions into 75-width mountains, plus an extra fourth division if attacking from multiple directions.

Mountaineers are highly situational!

While slightly more expensive than other infantry templates, they can be put to good use defending the Alps from Italy as France or fighting in mountainous regions like Turkey and Asia. Despite this, Mountaineers are highly situational, so it might be better to forgo the cost and deploy more standard infantry if playing a flatter, less mountainous country.

15 15-Width Marines: Ideal For Storming The Beaches

Dominate The Waters

Naval invasions can be difficult to accomplish, but these divisions are usually up to the task. Considering that most islands in the Pacific, and most terrain on either side of the English Channel for that matter, are plains, this 15-Width Marines template is well suited for assaulting the most common terrain players will have to face when doing naval invasions.

Well suited for assaulting the most common terrain players will have to face!

Of course, that depends on the country being played and the situation it faces, but these divisions are nevertheless a solid pick (if in need of a harder-hitting template, try using 30-width or adding a light flame tank company).

16 10-Width Paratroopers: Masters Of The Ambush

Dominate From The Air

Paratroopers are the only division that can be dropped from the air, and while they may be weak, they can create some major problems for the opponent. Players simply need to maintain air superiority before being able to para-drop a set of this 10-Width Paratrooper templates all at once to secure key strategic locations.

The cunning use of paratroopers should never be underestimated!

Capturing and holding on to ports and supply hubs can deprive the enemy of supply, whereas landing on a series of important victory points could cause an early capitulation. Alternatively, players could para-drop these nimble divisions behind enemy lines, and if successful, they could end up encircling dozens of enemy units. The cunning use of paratroopers should never be underestimated.

17 10-Width Cavalry: Conserve That Supply

Never Get Short Of Supplies

In theaters like Africa, Asia, South America, or basically anywhere in the mountains, jungle, or desert, divisions will suffer from a lack of supply from reduced infrastructure. While players can deploy smaller infantry divisions to get around this problem, mobile divisions have few options. Thankfully, a 10-Width Cavalry template can conserve valuable supplies for the long haul.

These cavalry divisions, while admittedly weak, are the ideal choice for mobility in low-supply areas.

Tanks and motorized consume too much supply, but cavalry are more feasible and maintain a decent speed that will come in handy when encircling divisions and pressing forward. These cavalry divisions, while admittedly weak, are the ideal choice for mobility in low-supply areas.

18 2-Width Cavalry: Garrison, Garrison, Garrison

Cheap But Effective Defensive Line

Once players have made some ground, they’re going to need to hold it until the war is over. Using a 2-Width Cavalry is highly effective at suppressing any lines of attack, with each battalion boasting a suppression of 2, double that of an infantry battalion.

These small cavalry divisions are highly effective in suppressing the resistance!

The game will automatically use as many divisions as needed to suppress the resistance, so a one-battalion division is the most cost-effective choice, as it uses the exact number of battalions required. It’s also a lot cheaper equipment-wise than other suppression options, including armored cars and military police.

19 21-Width Motorized: Need For Speed

Overwhelm The Enemy With Speed

Particularly useful once a breakthrough has been made, this 21-Width Motorized division (which can cover three times more ground than an infantry division and almost double that of a cavalry division) is best used to quickly encircle enemy divisions and hold that ground until the pocket is destroyed.

While they may be one of the fastest divisions in the game, they don’t have anywhere near the breakthrough of tank divisions, but if playing a minor nation and looking for a substitute that is cheaper to produce than tanks and less fuel-guzzling, these templates can come in quite handy.

20 21-Width Light Tank: Beware Of Being Outclassed

Decent Performance Across Most Fields

A starter tank division, this template is essentially a 21-Width Light Tank division with the added benefit of 300 more Breakthrough. Use them to great effect as volunteers (Spanish Civil War, we’re looking at you) or in the early years of the war, though they’ll become increasingly outdated into the 1940s.

Performs well in most terrains but suffers from being a jack of all trades, master of none!

Like the 21w Infantry and 21w Motorized, this template performs well in most terrains but suffers from being a jack of all trades, master of none. Players will have to customize it further, or better yet, upgrade to a more modern division, to effectively punch through enemy defenses.