14 DAY TRIAL // Hearts of Iron IV is one of the most interesting coming launches for strategy fans, and the team at Paradox Development Studios is aiming to deliver more details about the naval side of the game, which major countries will need to master if they want to have a chance in World War II.
A new diary on the official forums offers gamers a full look at the naval research tree, which offers a look at the way they can evolve and customize their fleet, which will range from submarines to battleships and carriers.
Customization will be a big side of Hearts of Iron IV, with gamers able to get experience from naval battles that can be then used to tweak certain characteristics so they can perform better in future engagements.
The three naval doctrines are Fleet in Being, Trade Interdiction and Base Strike, and they will be instantly familiar to all those who have played Hearts of Iron III, with only one of them active at one time for a country.
Navies in the new grand strategy title will be able to patrol, which spreads out the fleet and increases chances to meet enemy vessels, search & destroy, limiting contact but keeping a fleet grouped, convoy raiding and escort, designed to attack and protect civilian fleets carrying resources.
Hearts of Iron IV aims to make war easier to run
Paradox wants to automate a lot of tasks in the game so that the player can focus on the high-level strategy required to try and win the war or at least have a significant impact on its flow.
For naval repairs, Hearts of Iron IV will basically allow gamers to choose a system and then let it run.
The developers add, "You can set fleets on settings on WHEN to return to port, ie, after how heavy damage from never to 'mild'. You can also give direct order to go to port and repair and automatically go back when needed. There is also a final option, that the fleet is allowed to split off damaged ships that can be sent to repairs when the rest of the fleet continues its mission."
The game also features a new production system and gives gamers more ways to assemble their divisions and armies before they launch a campaign.
Hearts of Iron IV will be offered on the PC in 2016.
