British Raj
In 1936, the British Raj (Modern day India) is one of the largest countries in terms of manpower, area and natural resources. However, they are still a puppet of the
United Kingdom and their fate is inevitably tied to that of the UK. This large Asian puppet state borders
Portugal,
Iran,
Afghanistan,
Sinkiang
Tibet,
Nepal,
Bhutan,
China,
Yunnan,
France, and
Siam.
Historical background[edit | edit source]
The British Raj was the result of piecemeal annexation of Indian princely states by the British East India Company. After a series of failed mutinies in 1857, the British Government took control of India from the BEIC and the Raj was born with Queen Victoria being given the title of Empress of India. Modern day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar form part of the British Raj in 1936. Although some territories like Rajputana were independently governed under British suzerainty, they have been abstracted under the overall control of the Raj for game play purposes.
During World War II, British India fielded the largest volunteer army in the war, and used it to contain the Japanese advance into the Indian Ocean basin, as well as stopping Japanese advances into the Indian subcontinent. The Battle of Imphal was a critical victory that stopped the Japanese army's advances from occupied Burma. The war, however, was not without consequences to the people of the Raj, as wartime needs for the military often superseded any civilian concerns. A massive famine in the Bengal region was blamed upon the limited food aid sent by the British in favor of sending those supplies to the European and African theaters.
The British Raj suffered politically during the war as different groups vied to command leadership of the then flourishing Indian independence movement. The Muslim League and the Indian National Congress disagreed on their opinions on supporting the British war effort, with the League backing the British and Congress calling for supporting the British in exchange for concessions. Eventually, the British government agreed to consider Indian independence after the war ended. The last Viceroy of India, Louis Mountbatten, left in 1947, just two years after the war.
Events[edit | edit source]
- Main article: British Raj events
National focus[edit | edit source]
- Main article: British Raj national focus tree
British Raj, along with other nations of the British commonwealth, gets a unique national focus tree as part of the Together for Victory expansion. Without the expansion, the British Raj utilizes the Generic national focus tree.
The British Raj has a unique focus tree with 3 main branches:
- Provincial Elections branch
- Focuses on gaining independence and modifies the debilitating national spirits of the British Raj.
- Lessons of the Great War branch
- Focuses on expanding the army, establishes the air force and gives elite infantry divisions.
- Great Indian Peninsula Railway branch
- Focuses on building infrastructure, naval dockyards, and gives extra research slots.
Technology[edit | edit source]
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The British Raj starts with the fewest technologies in the Commonwealth, lacking any tank or naval technologies whatsoever.
Army Technology | Naval Technology | Air Technology | Electronics & Industry |
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Doctrines | |||
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The Raj starts with only 2 research slots. It can get a third quite quickly, but can't unlock any more until becoming independent. However, with Together for Victory it does get access to technology sharing from being in the Commonwealth. Becoming a dominion will increase the maximum cost reduction to -50% from -25%.
Cosmetic names[edit | edit source]
The Raj, being a British subject, shares most of their technologies and equipment with the United Kingdom, but still fields equipment that separates it from its mother country. Note that generic names are not listed.
Type | 1918 | 1936 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 |
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Support Weapons | Vickers MG & Stokes mortar | Lewis Mk. III DEMS & SBML two-inch mortar | Bren Mk. I & ML 3 inch mortar | Bren Mk. III & ML 4.2 inch Mortar | |||||
Infantry Equipment | GRI Rifle No.1 MkIII | POF Rifle No.4 MkI | GRI Sten MkII | GRI Sterling MkI | |||||
Infantry Anti-Tank | Boys Anti-Tank Rifle | PIAT | |||||||
Motorized | NA | ||||||||
Mechanized | Bren Carrier | Universal Carrier | Churchill Kangaroo |
Tech year | Anti-Air | Artillery | Rocket Artillery | Anti-Tank |
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1934 | QF 18-pounder | |||
1936 | QF 3-inch | QF 2-pounder | ||
1939 | QF 25-pounder | |||
1940 | QF 40 mm Bofors | RP-3 HE/GP | QF 6-pounder | |
1942 | BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun | |||
1943 | QF 3.7-inch | RP-3 HE/SAP | QF 17-pounder |
Tech year | Close Air Support (Carrier) | Fighter (Carrier) | Naval Bomber (Carrier) | Heavy Fighter | Tactical Bomber | Strategic Bomber | Scout Plane |
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1933 | Hart (Nimrod) | B-18 Bolo | |||||
1936 | Hector (Osprey) | Demon (Sea Gladiator) | Swordfish (Shark) | Blenheim | Wellington | Halifax | |
1940 | Typhoon (Skua) | Spitfire (Fulmar) | Albacore (Roc) | Beaufighter | Beaufort | Lancaster | |
1944 | Tempest (Sea Fury) | Spiteful (Firefly) | Barracuda (Firebrand) | Mosquito FB | Mosquito B | Lincoln | |
Jet Engine Technology | |||||||
1945 | Meteor | Venom | |||||
1950 | Vampire | Canberra | Valiant |
Politics[edit | edit source]
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The British Raj in 1936 is beset with communal divisions between the Hindus and the Muslims, and the Burmese in the extreme east outright rejects any affinity with the Raj, insisting that they are a separate nation that was unreasonably incorporated into the Raj by the British only because of geographical proximity. In the game, this is represented by the states of Peshawar, Punjab, Quetta, Baluchistan and Sind in the west, and Mandalay and Burma in the east being classified as occupied states, which significantly reduces the amount of manpower, resources, and industrial capacity the player can utilize from these states.
National spirits[edit | edit source]
With the Together for Victory expansion enabled, the British Raj starts with the following national spirits in both the 1936 and 1939 scenarios. Otherwise, it does not start with any national spirits and the ones it gains are dependent on the choices it make in the generic national focus tree.
Princely States and Marginalized Muslim Community are automatically lost on becoming independent peacefully (including the more beneficial versions of these traits unlockable via focuses)[1]. Princely States and Risk of Famine are also removed if India becomes communist or fascist[2]. Agrarian Society can be removed through the rural industralization decisions.
Diplomacy[edit | edit source]
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With the Together For Victory expansion it is now possible to leave the Commonwealth. India can choose to join the Comintern or Axis via the Swaraj branch of its national focus tree. This will lead to a civil war which will be backed by its new allies.
Political parties[edit | edit source]
In both the 1936 and 1939 scenarios, the non-aligned Indian National Congress is the ruling political party in the British Raj with Lord Linlithgow acting as the Governor-General and Viceroy of India with overwhelming popularity.
Staff and designers[edit | edit source]
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Icon | Designer | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Armor Company | Tank Designer |
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150 |
Concern | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Industrial Company | Industrial Concern |
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150 |
Electronics Company | Electronics Concern |
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150 |
Economy[edit | edit source]
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Laws[edit | edit source]
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Conscription Law | Economy Law | Trade Law |
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The Raj can't increase its conscription law past Volunteer Only until it becomes independent.
Industry and resources[edit | edit source]
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Type | No. | |
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Aluminum | 1 |
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Chromium | 55 |
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Oil | 11 |
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Rubber | 30 |
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Steel | 55 |
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Tungsten | 100 |
Type | No. | |
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Civilian factory | 13 |
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Military factory | 2 |
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Naval dockyard | 1 |
- Industry
- Although the British Raj starts with a total of 14 civilian factories, 1 of them is unavailable at game start due to insufficient compliance. All in all, it has 47 free slots, enough to build up a much larger industrial base.
- Resources
- The Raj starts with significant reserves of rare earth minerals and enough steel and oil to field a sizeable force. Note that since its tungsten reserves are entirely located in Burma and Mandalay, both of them occupied states, only a fraction of tungsten is available for use at game start.
Military[edit | edit source]
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In 1936, the British Raj starts with a small and under-equipped army, as well as a small air force. It does not possess a navy. Due to its starting national spirits vastly reducing its recruitable population, it only has a total manpower of 353.41K, of which 99.00K is tied up in the army, and 1.60K in the air force, leaving 252.82K available for recruitment.
Type | No. | |
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Infantry | 11 |
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Total divisions | 11 |
Type | No. | |
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Total ships | 0 |
Type | No. | |
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Close air support | 80 |
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Total planes | 80 |
Army[edit | edit source]
- The British Raj starts with 11 infantry divisions made up of 9 infantry battalions.
[edit | edit source]
- The British Raj does not possess any warships.
Air force[edit | edit source]
- The British Raj starts with 80 close air support I stationed in Delhi.
Military staff[edit | edit source]
Strategies and guides[edit | edit source]

Multiplayer
Here is a basic strategy for most competitive multiplayer games. As British Raj, you have two roles in the world war, to lead an invasion into the African Horn and to defend against a Japanese invasion. You want to research your industrial techs first, as you will need to produce large amounts of equipment so you can use your manpower. Do not stop building civilian factories until early 1939 although try to keep your factories away from the east, as that is where the Japanese invasion will start from. Your divisions need to be 20 width pure infantry, with engineers. Support artillery is to be added by the time the Japanese war starts. When against the Japanese, you will only want to hold the main part of Burma, not the strip of land in the south, I suggest positioning your troops behind a river and on the mountains and forests, as you will get the most terrain bonuses this way and to create a few airfields to allow allied planes to support you. I also suggest adding a secondary fall back line in Bangladesh, just in case your main line falls falls. Create a 5-6 40 width mountaineers with 4 artillery and 14 mountaineers along with engineers and recon, you will keep these in the back and move them into any province that is being heavily attacked. This is the most basic of strategies when it comes to British Raj, it is extremely boring to use as most of the time you will just be waiting, but I do not have enough experience in competitive games as this country to give a more advanced strategy.
For general play as Allies, you want to become Dominion as soon as possible. Take the 2 focuses which gives dockyards as soon as you get your third research slot to get your convoy production going which will be used to be lend-leased to the British for instant autonomy gain as soon as WW2 starts. Also since you are a bit behind in research, try to research whatever other Commonwealth members have finished for the free bonus (by default Commonwealth members will pick Concentrated Industry, you might want to keep that in mind), also try to steal technology from Japan or Italy if you have La Resistance. When Sino-Japanese war starts which will increase world tension to 10%, start doing your political focuses immediately. Two Nation Theory should be taken before Quit India Movement as its bonuses is greater, but both should be completed. You might want to station some troops in Africa so you can get some autonomy gain from combat. You can focus on infantry but you can build tanks and even ships if you want. As soon as the war starts, send attache to UK immediately and give them lend-lease of convoys as you want to increase your autonomy to Dominion ASAP which will allow you to take the Clamp Down on Corruption focus to avert the dreadful Bengal Famine and also give you better research sharing bonus. You can help the war effort any way you want either by helping the Allies in Africa or help defend Malaya and East Indies, in any case pay attention to what is happening in China. If China is about to lose, you want to pull your troops back and prepare your defense. The three focuses which gives factories on the rightmost branch as well as the Princely State branch must be taken before you break free, otherwise they cannot be taken anymore. It is possible to release Pakistan as a puppet at any time you become a Dominion and it is best to do so just before becoming independent as otherwise Pakistan will break free and will not be joining the Allies.
Single Player
This guide assumes the UK and France are democratic while Germany and Italy remain fascist.
With so few military factories and many resources, free trade is a very powerful policy for the Raj in the early game for gaining more civilian industrial points, allowing India to build up its industry to rival that of some of the less industrialized great powers. However, as long as the Raj remains a colony of the UK, it cannot remove risk of famine, cannot take advantage of its large manpower, and cannot access 2 of its 5 research slots. Therefore, quickly gaining dominion status and independence should be top priorities of the player.
The most efficient way to gain the autonomy needed for dominion and independence is war contribution and lend-leasing to the UK. Both war contribution and lend-lease material can be gained very early in the war through a naval invasion of Italy originating from southern France (before France is invaded by Germany) and then capitulation of Italy. In HOI 4 single-player, Italy really is the “soft underbelly of Europe”. The captured war materials can then be shipped to the UK to increase autonomy. The player must finish the “Clamp Down on Corruption” focus within 300 days of the start of WWII in order assure the Bengal Famine is avoided. A rapid capitulation of Italy has the additional advantage of tipping the balance of power between Allies and Axis enough that France can hold off the German invasion.
Capturing factories from the Axis means that the British investment focuses are not worth it for the player in single-player since these focuses greatly slow down independence and the rewards from these focuses are a pittance compared to what can be captured (also the railroad construction bonus is lost on independence). Two-Nation Theory and Quit India are also not worth it (unless one is aiming for the “Our Words Are Backed With Nuclear Weapons” achievement). Remember that autonomy is being lost passively for India every day, meaning each extra focus has an additional autonomy cost. Cripp's Mission must be taken to get dominion status, despite its bad effects. Pakistan and Burma can be released as puppets when the player gets a notification of unrest in the northwest and northeast in order to avoid civil war.
An AI Japan pursuing a Southern Expansion strategy will become a threat to India around 1942 or so (assuming the war in Europe has not already been won). However, India is at the limit of Japan’s naval reach and is defended by mountain and jungle terrain so not many forces are needed to stop Japan (a few ships in the Bay of Bengal can prevent naval invasion). Just make sure your defensive lines are supplied and entrenched.
The British Raj will be behind technologically until independence so pick one or two aspects of your military (such as the air force) to do very well and get ahead-of-time to compensate for weaknesses elsewhere. India remains part of Commonwealth Tech Sharing with full bonuses even after independence so its research could very well eventually become faster than any other country's (besides the USA) once all 5 research slots are unlocked. Further boosts can be picked up by stealing blueprints while getting the "Spies Trade" achievement.
Take as much as possible in peace negotiations to propel India to major power status and perhaps even leadership of the Allied faction.
Achievements[edit | edit source]
North America |
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South America |
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Africa |
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Oceania |