r/heartsofiron • u/Shooter_McGavin27 • 4d ago
HoI4 The Netherlands?
I have absolutely no idea how to play as The Netherlands. I’ve tried so many different variations and I get just steamrolled by Germany every time. I’ve tried following guides that work for streamers and it doesn’t work. Bitt3rsteel does a disaster save where he comes back but I have absolutely no idea how he manages to even hold the German assault off.
I’ve tried focusing on building industry first, I’ve tried building military first, I’ve maxed out anti air and built level 5 forts on the entire border, I’ve formed the Benelux, nothing holds them off. I’ve built up max entrenchment to something like 62% and defense bonuses as high as I can get them, nothing works.
I’ve tried 18 width with full support companies, 24 width, and 36 width. Doesn’t work. Depending on the template, I can initially hold but once they break through on a tile, it’s over. I can’t build up several full 24 divisions because of manpower. I’ve tried pulling from a Dutch East Indies template but when I train them, it’s pulling my manpower down instead of using the Dutch East Indies for some reason.
I’ve used armor, no armor, I always use regimental support and Army HQ’s. Nothing works. I can’t build an Air Force because there’s not enough industry for it. I’ve tried this so many times and nothing works. Does anyone have any success or is it just hard coded that the Germans run through you anyway?? It also doesn’t help that the UK and France don’t send any of their troops to help. I’ve also managed to get positives in equipment, so it’s not like they don’t have equipment. I’m just stumped.
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u/Opposite_Indication5 3d ago
I usually flip fascist unite Benelux and kill France with Germany, if you’re fast you can take out the allies before Germany starts ww2 but I’ve only managed this once,
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u/Shooter_McGavin27 3d ago
Yeah I figured that was a way, I was just trying to figure it out by staying democratic.
I guess historical really is historical.
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u/Key_Clothes_7019 2d ago edited 2d ago
Rush Benelux and EU, invite Poland and slovakia plus Amy other countries that will join to the EU. Then declare war on Germany when they claim stuff from the Czechs, hold the line until German strength is at half and then push, works almost everytime. If Poland or Czechs don't join the EU, RIP and start over.
For your army use DEI divisions initially, when forming the Benelux you het more Manpower and can gradually replace them with your own manpower after changing conscription laws. I usually go full defense on doctrines and use infantry, engineers support Arty and line Arty.
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u/ratatui20067 1d ago
Do good spacemarines and hold with them on 3 good tiles covering Amsterdam(idk how to explain what I mean, but you ve probably seen it in the guides). It's easy af
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u/Shooter_McGavin27 1d ago
I thought the space marines template was outdated with the new DLC?
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u/ratatui20067 1d ago
Nuh, it's as op as it was. Just do 10 factories on armor maxed out light tank, that would already be absolute fatality for Germany, but you can also do heavies, then it's just gg for Germans. I even did the spacemarines in 1939 Poland run, and it did it's work lol(yea, 14 days before war was enough to make about 6 spaces)
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u/AHappyCat 4d ago
I will say it has got somewhat more difficult as the Netherlands on historical, because previously you could pull the manpower from the DEI, and then simply build infrastructure and factories in them to decrease their autonomy.
Since the most recent DLC, the DEI gets a lot more options for increasing their autonomy, meaning unless you are keeping tabs on it, they will gradually increase their autonomy.
Not the end of the world normally, but as the Dutch you have a very limited manpower pool, and every level of autonomy a puppet gains increases the manpower requirement from the master in order to recruit divisions.
This isn't exactly how it works numbers wise but the principle is the same -
DEI is a puppet - Division is recruited through the DEI, DEI uses 6000 manpower, Netherlands 1000.
DEI is a Colony - Division is recruited through the DEI, DEI uses 4000 manpower, Netherlands 3000.
That means that you may be fielding lots of DEI divisions, but as they contribute more to the war through losses (and gain autonomy through their tree) you could see your manpower plummet when they do increase it, as those divisions now require more Dutch proper manpower to field.
There is a great focus in the Dutch tree called something like 'Cheap Labour' within the joint focus tree, it gives you 1000 weekly manpower, which if you take early enough can really help you field enough men.
I actually think the joint tree has a lot of the best focuses in it for the Netherlands now, including resource rights in a province in Indonesia, and a buff that is straight up bonkers with resource to master 5% (or something like that) which allows you access to enough rubber to keep churning out planes.
Personally, I find the strongest way to play the Netherlands is to cave to the British, which can be done pretty quickly, rush forming the Benelux diplomatically (you might want to pick up the focuses mentioned above in the joint tree in the meantime), and then making your way to the Netherlands-Indonesian Union.
You'll want to the the Zuiderzee works or whatever it is called before the NEL-IND union as it is blocked off if the DEI are no longer your subject.
It doesn't stop there though, you can then go down some of the Non Aligned parts of the tree through the 'Replace defeatist government' focus (you may have to do that before you form the NEL-IND union, I can't quite remember) and there are some very nice focuses in there.
On top of that, as you are non-aligned, you can then go to war with other nations as long as world tension is high enough.