HOI4 (Hearts of Iron IV): Special Forces Guide – How to Increase Limit

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Hearts of Iron IV, abbreviated as HOI4, stands as the latest installment in the esteemed grand strategy franchise developed by Paradox Interactive. As players embark on an immersive journey through the tumultuous period of the Second World War, they are entrusted with the monumental responsibility of leading a nation toward either glorious triumph or devastating doom. Within this historical context, Special Forces emerged as pivotal assets, gaining prominence in warfare compared to their role during the Great War. From the formidable Fallschirmjägers of Germany to the valiant Marines of the United States and the indomitable Alpini of Italy, exceptional units arose. In this article, we will explore the diverse array of Special Forces in HOI4, the strategies for enhancing their capabilities through upgrades and advancements, and how to increase their cap limit.

How Special Forces Work in HOI4

Special Forces (SF for short, not to be confused with the Superior Firepower land doctrine) in HOI4 are units of infantry separate from regular, motorized, and mechanized units, dedicated to a specific situation, that have their own specialization. As with other infantry units, they primarily utilize infantry equipment for each battalion.

Each nation has a special force cap that is either 24 battalions or 5% of the total battalions, whichever is greater. The player may not change the division template if it will result in the special forces being exceeded.

To increase the special forces cap, one must have more non-SF battalions. Since 480 non-SF battalions are needed to get to the 24 battalion cap, every subsequent increase of 1 SF battalion will need to be accompanied by an increase of 20 non-SF battalions across all armie

Paratroopers

Paratroopers are the only infantry division capable of performing paradrop operations anywhere behind enemy lines via transport planes. Typically taking longer to train and only possessing slightly better stats than regular infantry, the ability to cut off the enemy’s flanks cannot be underestimated as it could change the complexion of the front.

A good example of how to use paratroopers is to cut off the enemy’s logistics by either taking their logistical hub or cutting off their line of retreat.

The AI will use any existing paratrooper divisions in its army for battle but never for paradrops.

Marines

Marines are infantry divisions specializing in fighting over wet terrain and amphibious landings. They gain a bonus of 30% when attacking marshes, 40% when fighting over rivers, and 50% when making an amphibious assault on enemy positions.

It should be noted that Marines should be supported by the necessary support companies and amphibious vehicles as enemy resistance in key landings will likely be heavier and will necessitate calling the big guns (armor vehicles, naval support, and air support).

Unlike the Paratroopers, the AI will use Marines both for battle and for naval invasions.

Mountaineers

Mountaineers are infantry specializing in fighting and moving through rough terrain. When moving through hills, they gain +10% movement speed, +20% attack, and +5% defense. While moving through mountains (their bread and butter), these bonuses are even higher, with +20% in movement speed, +35% in attack, and +10% in defense.

As seen above, mountain infantry are great for attacking and defending mountainous areas such as the Alps and those in South America and Asia.

Upgrades

Special Forces can also be upgraded into either Advanced Training or Expanded Special Forces lines. After taking the first research step (which increases the acclimatization speed of Special Forces to hot and cold terrains), the research tree splits into two.

For Advanced Training, it focuses more on increasing the capabilities of its existing special forces by adding significant bonuses. Completing its tree will grant the following bonuses (save for the training time addition):

Division Training Time (+20%)

Defense (+5%)

Organization (+5)

Supply Grace (+48 hours)

Hot and Cold Acclimatization Speed (+50%)

For the Expanded Special Forces line, the focus here is to reduce the training of each division and increase the capacity cap. If fully completed, these are the following bonuses:

Division Training Time (-10%)

Capacity (+5%)

Hot and Cold Acclimatization Speed (+20%)

Out of Supply Reduction (-10%)

The final research will give a huge amount of bonuses in general, such as an increase in organization, soft attack, and hot and cold acclimatization speed.

How to Increase Special Forces Limit in HOI4

There are only a limited number of ways to increase the cap on HOI4 Special Forces battalions. This is by design in HOI4, as Special Forces have not been the focal point of recent DLCs. Still, the only way to increase the Special Forces Cap is through either of the following: