Is HOI3 (plus expansions) worth it?

[Sigma]

So I've been on a paradox spree lately, picking up Vicky II and EUIII and all the little DLC's and expansions for those two games.

Then there is HOI3, a game that I want to play yet I've heard many bad things about it when it was released, more bad things than is typical of a bad paradox release. Has it improved any with the expansions, and is there finally an option to ceasefire?

[TheBromgrev]

The difference between HOI3 and its final expansion, Their Finest Hour, is like the difference between night and day. Yes, the HOI3 release was god-awful and almost as bad as the release for Sword of the Stars 2. However, PI cleaned up the game very quickly, and the latest expansion can't be compared to the base game, because so much as been changed for the better. There are still some quirks, but nothing game-breaking anymore.

The one thing to remember between HOI3 and PI's other titles is that HOI is a war game. The other titles are nation-building games, with a focus on the economy and internal politics, while HOI3 is all about warfare and abstracted/simple politics and nation-building. If you ever played Sim City and enjoyed it, then you'd probably like PI's Victoria, Crusader Kings, and Europe Universalis titles more than HOI3. If you enjoy the warfare aspect of a Civilization game more than the economic/research side, or enjoyed the strategic map parts of a Total War game over the battles then you'd like HOI3.

[Sigma]

Yes I know it's a wargame. Well it has a hint of nationbuilding in it if you consider the pre-war years and post-war if you play a game long enough.

[TheBromgrev]

Well, a LOT of people get that confused and as a result end up getting upset when they find out that the economic model is simple, politics are practically non-existent, there's no support for negotiated peace, and there's no support for post-war border adjustments (the game is essentially "over" when the Axis majors are defeated).

[CrazyShadowDami]

no stability, entire economy is based on industrial capacity, no trading, ports are only there for ships and supplies, no infamy (but there is threat, aka. how much do other nations trust you), no religion, better tech. system...

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

I'd recommend getting the HOI3 collection when it's on sale. The expansions are mostly just patches, so I wouldn't recommend paying full price for them.

Well, a LOT of people get that confused and as a result end up getting upset when they find out that the economic model is simple, politics are practically non-existent, there's no support for negotiated peace, and there's no support for post-war border adjustments (the game is essentially "over" when the Axis majors are defeated).

All my games become Cold Wars after the Axis or Comintern majors collapse. Once, in the ICE mod, the Axis were beating the Comintern, my non-faction nation (Romania) declared a war in an attempt to stop the Soviet Union from collapsing, but they did anyway, meanwhile, the Allies had occupied France, the Benelux and parts of Germany, then the USSR collapsed. Germany lost all it's victory points in the USSR because they because Reichskommisariats, so it collapsed, and I took the Reichskommisariats because they didn't have any armies. Then it was a Cold War between Romania and the Allies.

My only issue with the game after the 2nd World War is that it always ends up being a nuclear war, with both sides crushing each others national unity within a month, leaving whichever side can occupy a few single victory point the victor.

[Sigma]

no stability, entire economy is based on industrial capacity, no trading, ports are only there for ships and supplies, no infamy (but there is threat, aka. how much do other nations trust you), no religion, better tech. system...

I should mention that I'm a long time player of HOI2 Arma, DH and AoD. I know the core differences with the HOI series.

[CrazyShadowDami]

oh and, there actually is trade in resources (metals, rare materials, oil, and energy) but its still all needed for IC.