Summary
Games developed byParadox Interactivefit hand-in-glove with mods.Hearts of Iron 4is no exception. The Steam Workshop is teeming with a plethora of top-notch content that adds even more replayability to a game that is already quite addictive. From bug fixes to UI enhancements, mods have all the bases covered.
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The total conversion mods are arguably the best of the bunch. These types of mods add and/or change so much of the vanilla content that it often feels like playing a completely different game. Some make the experience more realistic while others are purely fantastical in their settings. The common denominator among them is that all deserve some serious attention from fans.
Updated July 17, 2025 by Mark Hospodar:Hearts of Iron 4 fans can once again expect a new DLC to roll out in the near future. Arms Against Tyranny focuses on the four Scandinavian democracies of Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark with revamped focus trees. A new International Market will allow players to export their weapons to gain more civilian factories.
While fans expectantly wait for the release of Arms Against Tyranny, there’s still a massive collection of excellent mods available to download on the Steam Workshop. Some of thebest HOI4 modsare of the total conversion variety. This list has been updated to include a few moreHOI4 modsfor fans who like to radically alter the settings of their HOI4 games.
18Project Valachord
Paradox Interactive games are no stranger to mods that portray popular fantasy and sci-fi franchises in a new light. And when it comes to beloved sci-fi franchises, few come close to matching the gargantuan success of theStar Warsuniverse.However, replicating the galaxy-trotting action ofStar WarsinHearts of Iron 4, a grounded game about WWII combat, isn’t exactly a straightforward endeavor.
Project Valachordmanages to overcome many of the inherent obstacles associated with introducing sci-fi elements to a realistic war simulator. It is, without a doubt, one of the most unique total conversion mods forHearts of Iron 4. Fans can take charge of a variety of factions from across theStar Warsuniverse with lovingly recreated focus trees and units that fans of the franchise will appreciate. Since it’s still a new mod at the time of writing, it will be interesting to see where this project will go in the future.
17Pax Britannica: An Imperial Timeline
Mods that deal with fictional alternative scenarios offer some of the most unique experiences inHearts of Iron 4. A relatively new addition toHOI4’s collection of total conversion mods isPax Britannica: An Imperial Timeline. It stands as one of the most creative mod offerings currently available on the Steam Workshop.
Pax Brittanica explores a world where the British Empire still reigns supreme by 1933. In this timeline, Nikola Tesla’s advancements led to a “Second Renaissance” and ushered in an age of rapid technological advancement. The old monarchies of Europe, such as the Bourbons, have only recently fallen and America stands ready to cast off British hegemony.
16BlackICE Historical Immersion
Many gamers enjoy a good challenge. Sometimes ramping up the difficulty to the maximum level inHearts of Iron 4still isn’t enough. In addition, when it comes to history-related titles, some gamers are proponents of high attention to detailwhen it comes to historical accuracy.
TheBlackICE Historical Immersionmod is the heavyweight champion when it comes to these two trains of thought. The difficulty scale is blown off its hinges as the mod adds an astounding level of detail when it comes to managing a country and its military. The care taken to maintain historical accuracy is nothing short of admirable. If you want to fight WWII as it actually happened, then this is the mod that comes the closest to achieving that goal.
15World Ablaze
If the BlackICE mod proves to be too difficult,World Ablazeoffers an excellent alternative. It’s an ongoing project that still receives periodic updates from the authors, all in the interest of making the vanilla game more dynamic and challenging. Best of all, for players who enjoy historical accuracy, the mod does an admirable job of remaining faithful to the source material wherever possible.
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Most of the major powers, including some minor ones, receive new and expanded focus trees. The technology trees are altered as well, with the major nations each getting their own unique roster. New decisions and events, a map, weather system, and political/economic overhauls are also implemented. It’s certainly an ambitious mod, one that deserves more attention.
14Hearts Of Azeroth
Of course, historical immersion doesn’t count for everything. Fortunately, plenty of mods cater to fans who wish to leave behind the real-world setting. In terms of total conversion mods regarding fantasy, one cannot go wrong withHearts of Azeroth. Instead of gloomy, 1930s Europe being the focus, this mod transports players to the lands of theWorld of Warcraftfranchise.
Veterans of theWarcraftuniverse should feel right at home. Players can sink their teeth into a fully detailed map of Azeroth to conquer. With over 308 nations and 155 unique races, along with completely overhauled tech trees, national focuses, units, and ideologies, all help make this a truly impressive mod to experience.
13The Lord Of The Rings
Now, when discussing popular fantasy settings, it’s hard not to mention J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth universe. The franchise is, rightfully, beloved by millions. Its popularity has spawned movie adaptations, video games, and evenan upcoming television series. It was only natural that a game likeHearts of Iron 4get in on the action at some point.
The Lord of the Ringsmod adapts the tried-and-true gameplay mechanics ofHearts of Iron 4to the Middle-earth setting. Everything a player can think of is overhauled to accurately fit Tolkien’s universe. There’s even a One Ring ownership mechanic that grants a significant stat bonus to one’s military, depending on who possesses the infernal item. Although it’s not perfect, the mod is definitely worth trying for fans of bothHearts of Ironand Tolkien.
12Cold War: Iron Curtain
For some players, maybe fighting WWII has become a bit stale. The legacy of the Cold War still looms large in today’s world. Interestingly, the list of strategy games that tackle this subject is still surprisingly small, at least compared to WWII. Thankfully, mods have come to the rescue.
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TheCold War: Iron Curtainmod recreates the post-WWII world with an amazing level of detail. Nuclear weapons obviously play a much larger role than they do in the vanilla game. The mod feels and plays more like a chess match between West and East. Famous events like the building of the Berlin Wall and the Vietnam War can be experienced through multiple starting dates that span the late 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s. Give this mod a try if storming through the Ardennes Forest has become too tiring.
11Old World Blues
TheFalloutfranchise is immensely popular with gamers. Some fans may have thought theFalloutgames wouldn’t translate well when combined withHearts of Iron 4’s engine. It turns outthe two styles blend quite wellwith each other.
Old World Bluesrecreates theFalloutuniverse in the year 2275. All the major players from the lore are represented: the Enclave, the NCR, Caesar’s Legion, etc. Custom focus trees, ideologies, models, and events are all included. Although it may not seem like it at first, playingFalloutlike an armchair general is surprisingly fun.
The Road to 56mod allows players to dabble in a bit of alternate history. Much of this is accomplished in new and expanded focus trees for almost every nation under the sun. Brand-new nations and alternate historical events are included as well, which adds some much-appreciated variety.
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The timeline of the game is extended to 1956, hence the name. As such, most technology trees are given a revamp to account for the extra time. In many ways, this mod is the opposite of BlackICE. It gives the player a lot of freedom to steer their country in different directions, most of which are purely fictional.
9The New Order: Last Days Of Europe
This mod poses a terrifying question: What if the Third Reich had emerged victorious in WWII? In a similar vein to theWolfensteinseries the map of the world inThe New Order: Last Days of Europehas been radically redrawn. Starting in the 1960s, the mod deals with the slow disintegration of the Nazi empire as the ailing Adolf Hitler nears death.
The most interesting aspect of this mod is its story-driven focus. Decisions have to be made constantly and many of the major choices have their own branching narratives. It adds to some fun replayability that some other mods lack. The New Order is certainly worth checking out for players who enjoy “what if” scenarios.
