Hearts of Iron 4 has naval exploits that let you conquer Japan in... 1936?

You may not know this, but Hearts of Iron 4 is (probably) the most popular of Paradox's grand strategy games. There are caveats and exceptions of course - Crusader Kings 3 is a serious contender for that crown given that it's already sold over a million copies. But, generally speaking, more people play Hearts of Iron 4 more consistently than all of the other games.

Free from the railroading of past iterations, HOI4 provides a sandbox where the second world war can take on many forms, and you as the player have many options available to you in terms of how you leave your mark in this historic conflict. It inspires a community that's passionate about tactics, the WW2 setting, Hearts of Iron 4 mods, and finding exploits.

Many of the historical strategy games Paradox creates are prone to exploitation in one form or another. In Crusader Kings, marrying the right person at the right time can inherit you half the world in a single stroke, whereas in EU4 there are plenty of ways to inflate your holdings by grokking one mechanic or another. Hearts of Iron 4 is no stranger to these kinds of tactics, and a new one has surfaced that involves naval invasions.

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