HOI4 (Hearts of Iron IV): Ethiopia Guide – How to Win

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Hearts of Iron IV (HOI4), an epic grand strategy game developed by Paradox Interactive, thrusts players into the precarious position of leading a nation on the brink of the Second World War. As global tensions escalate and alliances fracture, conflicts arise, sometimes driven by nefarious motives. Among the nations caught in this maelstrom, Ethiopia stands alone, facing a daunting challenge against a technologically superior aggressor, Italy. In this HOI4 guide, we will delve into the strategies and tactics necessary for the heirs of Solomon, Ethiopia, to defy the odds, repel the invaders, and safeguard their hard-earned independence in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Starting Position of Ethiopia in HOI4

Ethiopia starts off as the only nation at war in HOI4 with a technologically superior nation in 1936. It is not a terrific position to be in.

To start, take the Second Italo-Ethiopian War focus. We need to make the Italians pay for any attacks. The key here is micromanaging and keeping an eye on the battlefield at all costs.

Focus your research on military technology for now. Support Weapons I and Weapons I are great places to start with. Since the nation is at war, we cannot afford to focus on the civilian economy at the start.

There is a mechanic called War Escalation in the Decisions tab. The higher the escalation, the more beneficial it is for Ethiopia and the worse it is for Italy. So keep an eye on this and make sure to use the mission.

Given that the lone civilian factory Ethiopia has will not be able to build anything soon, it’s better to use it to trade resources. Ideally, steel should come from Turkey or from nations not likely to move to Italy’s side.

Setting the Military

Starting off, Ethiopia has 21 units. From here, we’ll call the front near Eritrea and Afar the “Northern Front” and the one near Somaliland the “Southern Front”. Allocate around 12 units to the northern front and 9 units to the southern front.

Here’s where we really need to get things right: never fight in the desert. Assign your troops to mountains and hills to give them the bonus and to make the Italians’ supply situation hell.

Assign Ayalew Birru to the Northern Front army and Nasibu Zeamanuel to the Southern Front army. Both have the necessary terrain traits to succeed in their respective areas. When they earn the infantry leader trait, feel free to upgrade it to Infantry Expert. Should they get the Trickster trait, the guerilla fighter trait is great to have as well.

Don’t be afraid to use the Last Stand commander ability when needed or when you need to reallocate units to a new front. Likewise, keep at least one or two units near the capital of Aussa. We need to occupy it and the tile above it once they submit to the Italians.

How to Win the War with Italy as Ethiopia in HOI4

Once the war starts, it’s best to keep the entire nation focused on the sole goal of surviving. This includes your political advisors, once they are available. The recommended ones to take are Yilma Deressa, Abuna Qerellos IV, and Getachew Abate. Their combined effects will prove highly effective in increasing Ethiopia’s stability and production in HOI4.

Take Rally around the Emperor to make Haile Selassie a field marshal. Assign him to the army group containing our two armies. He starts off with the Defensive Doctrine trait, but we’ll also need to assign the Charismatic trait as well.

Following this, take The Emperor Stays, The Lion Stand Firms, The Abuna, The Heroes of Ethiopia, and Volunteers HOI4 focuses. Kassa Haile Darge should be appointed as Chief of Army as soon as possible, thanks to his defense bonus. Imru Haile Selassie, Seyoum Mengesha, and Wehib Pasha should be appointed as well to the Military High Command.

Keep cycling units when needed and use the commander’s abilities to keep the Italians in line. Once we’ve established ourselves, things will be easier to deal with.

With your Army XP building up, don’t forget to choose the Victory or Death spirit of division command and the Quick Improvisation spirit of the army command. They will prove highly valuable to us. For land doctrine, you can pick your bunch, but you can’t go wrong with Mass Assaults since we have nothing else but men to throw at the Italians.

Moving onto the Offensive

We need to hold on until Italy reaches level 8 in war escalation. This means that the Italian Army will start experiencing mass desertions, making things easier for us to deal with.

Take the Ecole Militaire Haile Selassie 1er, Scavenging Tactics, and Expand the Mehal Sefari. We do not plan to keep the Chitet in the future, as regular infantry will be much better than them.

Once all is prepared and the Italians are losing heart, take the Renewed Offensive and Northern Thrust focuses. Be sure to have an offensive plan in place in both the north and south. Then we strike.

Should things go according to plan, our forces should be capable of pushing the Italians back. If not, regrouping to consolidate our forces is feasible, as the Italians will continue suffering desertions and protests back home while our own ranks are replenished and resupplied.

If Italy offers any kind of peace settlement, it would be best to decline. Our goal now is to take Eritrea and Somaliland.

What to Do After the War as Ethiopia in HOI4

As soon as the war ends, we can truly shift our focus to the economy and rebuild. Feel free to invest in whichever industrial focus you choose, although it would be wise to take the Rebuilding the Country focus first to help your efforts. Also, keep in mind the balance of power, as too much may lead to a possible rebellion on either side.

In terms of foreign affairs, you can offer to purchase Djibouti from the French (who will usually sell, but increasing relations with them can’t hurt as well) and take some African states from the British. If you do not wish to go to war with the latter, you can opt to fund African resistance in their colonies, incite a rebellion, then go to war with the rebels, and take their territory for yourself.

At this point, Ethiopia has a wide focus tree to go through in HOI4. They can proclaim the African Union, create the Organization of African Unity, form the Empire of Solomon, or even establish the Empire of Zion with Haile Selassie as the God of all Rastafari everywhere.

And that is all you need to know about how to play as Ethiopia and win the war with Italy in HOI4. Check out other interesting HOI4 guides and articles: