Combat tactics

Combat tactics[1] provide damage, defense, movement speed, and combat width modifiers in land battles.
Tactics get re-selected every 12 hours from a weighted list of all available tactics. The side having Initiative gets an increased chance to counter their enemy's tactic. If a tactic gets countered, all its effects are disabled.
To determine initiative, the leading generals' skill levels are compared. The side with the highest recon value in one of their divisions (including reserves) gets a bonus of 5 skill levels for this comparison. The side with the higher effective skill level gets Initiative.
The side losing this comparison has to pick their tactic first. The side with initiative will pick their tactic after and if the counter-tactic is available its weight gets a bonus of 35% for every point of advantage in the skill comparison. Initiative does not explicitly decrease the probability of picking a tactic that is countered by the enemy's tactic.
Contents
Phases[edit]
Default[edit]
![]() |
This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Name | Trigger | Weight | Countered by | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starts battle phase | Requires research |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
– | 4 | Counter-Attack | +5% | – | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 2, in urban terrain else 0.4
4, if has trait |
Counter-Attack | +25% | – | – | – | Close combat | – |
![]() |
|
4
8, if at least 1 of the following:
|
Tactical Withdrawal | +25% | +5% | +50% | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4
8, if has trait |
Ambush | – | −25% | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
At least 1 of the following: | 4 | Backhand Blow | +25% | −15% | – | +50% | – | |
![]() |
|
4
8, if at least 1 of the following:
|
Elastic Defense | +15% | −15% | – | +50% | – | |
![]() |
|
2 | – | +20% | −5% | −25% | +10% | Seize bridge | – |
![]() |
|
4 | – | +10% | +10% | +50% | – | – | ![]() |
![]() |
Country is ![]() |
4 | Overwhelming Fire | +25% | +10% | – | +10% | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +10% | −5% | – | – | – | ![]() |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +15% | – | – | – | – | ![]() |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +20% | +5% | – | +15% | – | ![]() |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +15% | – | – | +15% | – | ![]() |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +10% | -20% | – | – | – | ![]()
|
![]() |
– | 4 | – | – | +5% | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
Skill advantage is over 0. | 4
8, if has trait |
– | – | +25% | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | Shock | −25% | −15% | – | −25% | – | |
![]() |
At least 1 of the following: | 4 | – | −25% | −5% | −25% | – | Tactical withdrawal | |
![]() |
At least 1 of the following: | 4 | Breakthrough | −25% | – | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
At least 1 of the following:
|
4 | – | −15% | +10% | – | −25% | – | |
![]() |
At least 1 of the following:
|
4 | – | −20% | +25% | – | −30% | – | |
![]() |
|
2 | – | +20% | −5% | −25% | +10% | Hold bridge | – |
![]() |
At least 1 of the following: | 4 | – | −70% | −60% | −50% | – | – | |
![]() |
– | 2 | – | −10% | +10% | – | – | – |
Close combat[edit]
![]() |
This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Name | Trigger | Weight | Countered by | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starts battle phase | Requires research |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +10% | +5% | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 2 | – | +20% | +20% | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 1 | – | −5% | −5% | – | – | Default | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +5% | +10% | – | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 2 | – | −20% | – | – | – | – | – |
Tactical withdrawal[edit]
![]() |
This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Name | Trigger | Weight | Countered by | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starts battle phase | Requires research |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
– | 4 | – | −25% | −10% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | −15% | −5% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | −5% | −10% | – | – | Default | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | −30% | −5% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | −40% | −10% | −25% | – | – | – |
Seize bridge[edit]
![]() |
This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Name | Trigger | Weight | Countered by | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starts battle phase | Requires research |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +20% | – | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
Skill is over 4. | 4 | – | +20% | −10% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 4 | – | – | −5% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
Skill is under 3. | 4 | – | +25% | −10% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
At least one of the following: | 4 | Defend Bridge | +10% | −5% | −25% | – | Hold bridge | – |
Hold bridge[edit]
![]() |
This is a community maintained wiki. If you spot a mistake then you are welcome to fix it. |
Name | Trigger | Weight | Countered by | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Starts battle phase | Requires research |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
– | 4 | – | +10% | – | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
Skill is over 4. | 4 | – | +20% | – | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
– | 2 | Defend Bridge | +20% | +5% | −25% | – | Seize bridge | – |
![]() |
Skill is under 3. | 2 | – | +20% | −10% | −25% | – | – | – |
![]() |
At least one of the following: | 2 | – | +10% | +5% | −25% | – | – | – |
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ See in /Hearts of Iron IV/common/combat_tactics.txt.
Politics | Ideology • Faction • National focus • Ideas • Government • Puppet • Diplomacy • World tension • Civil war • Occupation • Intelligence agency |
Production | Trade • Production • Construction • Equipment • Fuel |
Research and technology | Research • Infantry technology • Support Companies technology • Armor technology • Artillery technology • Land doctrine • Naval technology • Naval doctrine • Air technology • Air doctrine • Engineering technology • Industry technology |
Military and warfare | Warfare • Land units • Land warfare • Division designer • Army planner • Command group • Commander • Battle plan • Combat tactics • Ship • Naval warfare • Aircraft • Air warfare • Experience • Attrition and accidents • Logistics • Manpower • Nuclear bomb |
Map | Map • Province • Terrain • Weather • State |
Events | Events |