Hungary starts the game carrying a weight: the 
Treaty of Trianon spirit, which cuts military factory construction speed in half and penalizes almost everything else. Much of the tree revolves around shaking off that weight and reclaiming lost territory, and the shortcut runs, almost inevitably, through Germany.
Historical Context
After Austria-Hungary dissolved, the 1920 Treaty of Trianon imposed on Hungary the loss of two-thirds of its historical territory and harsh military restrictions, the same year Admiral Miklós Horthy became regent of a kingdom without a king. The game starts in 1936 with Horthy still leading the country, while support for fascism grows and 
Germany emerges as its dominant partner.
What Changed with Götterdämmerung
Hungary's focus tree got a complete rewrite with Götterdämmerung (2024), the same DLC that rewrote Germany's tree. Without it, Hungary only has the much more limited base tree and the original version of the Trianon spirit, without the additions this guide describes.
National Spirits at Start
Hungary starts with four national spirits that portray a kingdom still marked by the 1920 defeat, seeking outside support and mobilizing its youth for a future revanche.
Treaty of Trianon
−15% army experience gain, −25% air experience, −10% factory output, −50% military factory construction speed, −10% military-industrial organization research bonus.
Gömbös Trade Treaty
−15% political power gain, −10% to consumer goods factory factor, +5% construction speed, +0.01 daily fascism support — the 1934 trade deal with Germany.
Hungarian National Defense Association
+10% recruitable population factor, +5% war support, +0.01 daily fascism support — the M.O.V.E. paramilitary organization, loyal to Gömbös and respectful of Horthy's strong anti-communism.
Levente Associations
+10% recruitable population factor, +15% ideology drift defense — paramilitary youth organizations preparing Hungarian youth for the future reconquest of lost territory.
The Real Price of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon spirit is the mechanical reason rebuilding the Hungarian army takes so long: with military factory construction speed cut in half, every new military factory takes twice as long to complete. Reversing or working around this spirit — through secret rearmament, renegotiation, or outright renouncing the treaty — is by far the most urgent industrial priority of the entire playthrough.
The Focus Tree Branches
Hungary's tree is organized around several main blocks:
End the Regency — the non-aligned monarchist branch: looks for a king willing to take the throne, whether Habsburg or aligned with the Little Entente.
Continue the Regency — the historical branch: Horthy stays in charge of the country as regent.
End the White Terror — the republican branch: prepares a civil war against Horthy, the fascists, and the monarchists.
Avoid Interventionist Destabilization — the industrial branch: bonuses to industry, construction, research, and resources.
Secret Rearmament — the military branch: secretly rearms Hungary around the Trianon restrictions.- Indivisible and Inseparable — the joint Austro-Hungarian branch, giving military and industry bonuses to
Czechoslovakia and other members of the historical Austria-Hungary.
This guide doesn't go into the detail of the republican branch that prepares a civil war against Horthy — it's a playthrough path that will be covered in separate content later.
A New King or Horthy's Regency
The tree's central decision pits End the Regency — restore the Hungarian monarchy with a new king, whether from the House of Habsburg or another dynasty acceptable to the neighbors — against Continue the Regency, which keeps Horthy in charge just as actually happened.
For a first playthrough, continuing the regency is the simpler route: it follows the historical path and doesn't require managing a dynastic transition. Ending the regency unlocks focuses and bonuses tied to the monarchist restoration — and several of the country's flashiest achievements — but requires first finding a throne candidate acceptable both inside and outside Hungary.
How Much You'll Depend on Berlin
- Territorial revisionism in the early years, backed by Axis diplomatic pressure.
- Your own industry in parallel — don't rely solely on German goodwill for equipment.
- Decide early how far you're willing to go with Germany; the longer you wait, the fewer options you'll have left.
- Your territorial claims clash with
Romania's, so keep a close eye on it. - For the land doctrine tree, with military construction speed already cut in half by Trianon,
Superior Firepower pays off more than chasing armor that will take twice as long to be ready.
War Campaigns
If you're going to follow the historical script, what really matters isn't the exact dates but what you need to have ready at each stage for the territorial expansion to go well. Here's what to do at each stage:
- Vienna Award-style arbitration — cultivate your relationship with Germany and Italy before this point arrives; the more influence you've already banked, the more territory you get in the split.
- Subcarpathian Rus-style occupation — move fast as soon as Czechoslovakia starts to collapse; the window to occupy without resistance closes the moment another neighbor gets there first.
- Second Vienna-style arbitration with Romania — keep your relationship with Berlin cultivated ahead of this moment; whoever stands better with Germany comes out ahead in the split of Transylvania.
- Yugoslavia-style invasion — join only if you have divisions ready to deploy quickly alongside Germany; it's a short campaign, and arriving late means missing out on territory to occupy.
- Barbarossa-style declaration of war — don't commit your whole army to this front; you'll need forces to spare to watch Romania and your own border while the bulk fights in the east.
- Arrow Cross-style crisis — if you ever plan to negotiate a separate peace with the USSR, do it fast and with real domestic backing; trying it halfway, like Horthy did, just exposes you to a German-backed coup that takes control of the country away from you.
Your revisionist focuses point at literally the same territory as Romania's, so sooner or later that conflict of interest becomes central to the game. The Romania guide tells the same story from the other side of the border.
Common Mistakes
- Chaining yourself to Germany with no exit plan and ending up dragged into a war against the USSR you're nowhere near ready for.
- Neglecting your own industry assuming the Axis will always cover your equipment gaps — it doesn't always, and by the time it doesn't it's too late to react.
- Not prioritizing the focuses that ease the Treaty of Trianon, leaving military construction at half speed longer than necessary.
Hungary's Achievements
Six achievements, with a strong Habsburg legacy presence and one communist nod:
Better than the Szent István
As Hungary, have Miklós Horthy as a naval commander and build a battleship.
Miklos Horthy and the Habsburg Prince
As Hungary, restore Austria-Hungary.
No Friends, Only Family
As Austria or Hungary led by a Habsburg monarch, control the Swiss Plateau and have at least three other countries led by a member of the Habsburg family.
Otto-man
As Austria or Hungary led by Otto von Habsburg, control the starting states of Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, plus Polish Galicia, Slovenia, and Croatia.
A Great Hunger
As Hungary, proclaim Greater Hungary and control all of your historical state.
The Lenin Boys are Back in Town
As Communist Hungary, bring back the Lenin-fiúk and take control over Leningrad.