14 DAY TRIAL // The developers at Paradox development Studio working on Hearts of Iron IV aims to make the game as authentic as possible to the real history of World War II, but they admit that when it comes to China, they have to make a few compromises to create solid gameplay.
According to a forum post, the various factions of the Asian would be superpower are initially at peace, and the Kuomintang will get an option to launch an attack against Mao Zedong's communists, which will not lead to any actual fighting but will feature attrition for some units.
The Xi'an incident will then be used to pressure all the involved factions to get into a truce and then prepare for an imminent assault from the expansionist Japanese forces.
Paradox says, "When Japan attacks China, the Nationalists get an event that allows them to set up the Chinese United Front faction against Japan. Communist China will get the option to join this faction. If they do, then there is a follow-up event where they annex Shanxi (a player Shanxi can refuse this). The other warlord states (except Sinkiang) will get the option to join with the Nationalist Chinese."
Sinkiang will also join this alliance when the war between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany breaks out.
China can be a significant challenge for Japan
According to the developer, the new and united country has a chance to block the expansion of the Empire of the Rising Sun, and if that happens, Mao and his communists will get territory in Northern China and Manchuria that will offer them a base from which to launch the civil war against the Kuomintang forces.
The balance between the two sides of the internal conflict is apparently better balanced than before, with more troops for the communist forces and a morale penalty initially affecting those who oppose them.
Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy take on World War II that allows gamers to select any country in the world and guide it through the coming conflict, in charge of everything from manufacturing and diplomacy to research and troop movement.
Gamers tend to focus on the biggest powers of the moment but Paradox is aiming to make every nation interesting to play in order to make sure that its title offers the variety the fans want.
Hearts of Iron IV will be launched only on the PC before the end of the year.
