Welcome to our in-depth analysis of artillery versus rocket artillery in Hearts of Iron IV.
This article will examine the effectiveness of these two types of units at the 1940 and 1943 levels, focusing on their performance and cost-effectiveness in battle.
- The 1940 Test: Initial Impressions
- Comparing Losses
- 1943 Test: Advanced Tech
- Late Game Performance
- Cost and Resource Considerations
- Conclusion: Is Rocket Artillery Worth It?
The 1940 Test: Initial Impressions
For our test, we used 9-4 divisions, which are the most cost-effective soft attack divisions, with both regular artillery and rocket artillery. These were pitted against a basic 9-1 French division to assess their combat prowess.
In the initial test, both the artillery and rocket artillery divisions failed to break the French defense. After adjusting the test and using 16-width infantry divisions, both the artillery and rocket artillery managed to win.
Comparing Losses
When comparing losses, rocket artillery and artillery divisions suffered approximately equal losses. The rocket artillery divisions lost about 37-38 rocket artillery and 210 infantry equipment, while the artillery divisions lost 21 artillery and 120 infantry equipment. The rocket artillery divisions took longer to win, which resulted in higher losses.
1943 Test: Advanced Tech
Jumping ahead to the 1944 tech level, we examined the improvements in rocket artillery and artillery performance. With the advanced technology, rocket artillery gained 16 more breakthrough points and about 15 more soft attack points. However, these differences were relatively small.
Late Game Performance
In the late game, rocket artillery won slightly faster than regular artillery. Comparing losses, the rocket artillery divisions lost 40 infantry equipment and 6 rocket artillery, while the artillery divisions lost 46 infantry equipment and 9 artillery. This indicates that rocket artillery has a minor advantage in the ultra-late game.
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Cost and Resource Considerations
It’s important to consider the cost of using rocket artillery. They require extra tungsten compared to regular artillery, which might make them less appealing for some players.
Conclusion: Is Rocket Artillery Worth It?
Based on our analysis, rocket artillery is not a significant upgrade over regular artillery in Hearts of Iron IV. While they do perform slightly better in the ultra-late game, the difference is marginal, and their increased resource cost might not justify their use. As a result, we conclude that rocket artillery is generally not worth it in HOI4.
