Hearts of Iron IV has been piling up expansions since 2016, and by now the list intimidates anyone starting out. This guide separates the major expansions (they change mechanics for the whole game) from the smaller packs (they add specific countries), so you know where your money is going.
Major Expansions
These are the ones that truly change how the game plays, not just which countries have a focus tree:
- La Résistance (2020) — France (overhauled), Spain (expanded), Portugal. Adds espionage, resistance movement support, collaborationist governments and code-breaking.
- No Step Back (2021) — USSR and Poland overhauled, Baltic states. Adds an officer corps, army spirits, the tank designer and railway guns.
- By Blood Alone (2022) — Italy overhauled, Ethiopia, Switzerland. Adds the plane designer, peace conference options, unit medals and embargoes.
- Arms Against Tyranny (2023) — Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland. Adds Military Industrial Organizations (MIO) and the international arms market.
- Götterdämmerung (2024) — Germany rewritten, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Belgian Congo. Adds special projects (nuclear weapons, rockets, advanced tanks) and the raid system.
- No Compromise, No Surrender (2025) — Japan, Nationalist China, Communist China, Philippines. Expands the faction system, adds new doctrines and carrier naval mechanics.
Country or Theater Packs
These are cheaper and don't bring big new mechanics, just focus trees for specific countries:
- Battle for the Bosporus (2020) — Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey.
- Trial of Allegiance (2024) — Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay.
- Graveyard of Empires (2025) — India, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan.
- Peace for Our Time (2026) — Czechoslovakia, with an alternate resistance scenario against Germany at Munich.
- Thunder at Our Gates (June 2026, the most recent) — Australia, Siam, Indonesia. Adds Army General Headquarters and ship captains.
These last four, together with the cosmetic Warships of the Pacific, make up Expansion Pass 2, focused entirely on the Pacific theater.
What's Already Free
Through earlier updates, these have already been folded into the base game for free: Man the Guns (ship designer, naval treaties), Waking the Tiger (China's trees), Death or Dishonor (Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia), Together for Victory (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa) and Poland: United and Ready.
Where to Start
If you're only going to buy one major expansion, make it the one covering the country or region you're most interested in playing — there's no point paying for advanced naval mechanics if your plan is to play Spain or Germany on land. As a general rule: La Résistance or No Step Back give you the most mileage if you're playing in Europe, and the small country packs are only worth it if that specific nation appeals to you.