Hoi4 Country Review: Yugoslavia

Welcome back to the third Hearts of Iron IV country review, where I review a country availible at the start of the game and give it a 1-10 rating. Upon request, I will be doing Yugoslavia.

1. Starting Position

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia on January 1st, 1936 is in an... interesting spot. You start with Italy, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Austria all bordering you. You start with 18 Factories (3 Military, 14 Civilian, and 1 Dockyard). You only have 25k Manpower, so recuitment is an impossiblity for the time being. You also have 3 Research slots. Yugoslavia starts with a deficit of -632 Infantry Equipment, -8 Artillery, and -20 Artillery. As well as a surplus of 10 Convoys. Yugoslavia starts with 22 Divisions. 16 Infantry Divisions (9 Infantry Battalions with Artillery and Engineer Support), 3 Cavalry Divisions (6 Cavalry Battalions), 2 Mountaineer Divisions (3 Mountaineer Battalions), and 1 Light Tank Division (1 Light Tank Battalion and 3 Infantry Battalions). Yugoslavia starts with 96 Fighters and 6 Ships (4 Submarines, 1 Destroyer, and 1 Light Cruiser). You start with several national spirits, which provide varying effects.

Croatian Opposition
-30% Stability and if you are at war with Germany, Croatia might rebel, trapping any troops in Slovenia.

Macedonian Opposition
+25% economy, conscription, trade, and advisor cost.

Slovene Nationalism
-10% Production Efficiencey Growth.

Serbian General Staff
+50% Military Leader cost and +10% Max Planning.

Anti-German Military
+5% Ideology Drift Defense, if you still have this and you are in the Axis, you risk civil war.


You have several options for a first focus. Western Focus gives 120 pp and leads down to joining the Axis or Allies. Recognize the Soviet Union gives an event and +25 Opinion of the Soviet Union, this leads down the Communist path. Industrialization Program gives 2x 50% bonus to industry and leads down the economic tree. Modernize the Airforce gives 1x 50% bonus for air doctrine and leads down the air tree. Army Modernization gives +25 army exp and leads down the army tree. You have 2 choices of navy path, Expand the Slit Dockyards and Expand the Serbian Dockyards, both lead down the naval tree.

My choice of Doctrine is Grand Battleplan for the entrechment and defense. You'll need it.

2. Axis Yugoslavia

Axis Yugoslavia is the easy way out of your impending doom. You get a free Core on Central Macedonia, and some Naval research bonuses. World War II will be a complete breeze, but it will also be boring, maybe you invaded Bulgaria, maybe you didn't. This is only for cowards.

3. Allies Yugoslavia

Alright, now you've gone from Boring to... oh... oh no.... You really are insane, Allied Yugoslavia gives you Cores on Zara, Istria, Air Bonuses, and a free case of PTSD. World War II will be hell on earth. You face potential assualts from Germany, Italy, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. This is a way to big from line. you will have to give up portions of the country to shorten your frontline. To illustrate my poi nt I'm going to try to do it and see how bad it I get killed. If your miraculously survive you should have a pile of warsore to take much land in the peace conference.


In my game, I lost because The German-Italian forces broke through my overextended line in Dalmatia. I was able to take Zara and encirle Italian troops in Albania though.

4. Comintern Yugoslavia

Doing this path is the goldilocks of Yugoslavia runs, the axis path too cold and the allies path too hot. You can get you own faction or join the Comintern. World War II will be challenging but not impossible. If yuo and the Soviet can link up, German defeat is inevitable.

5. World War II

Country Chance of War Threat
Germany 80% High
Italy 80% High
Hungary 70% Medium
Romania 60% Medium
Bulgaria 50% Medium
Soviet Union 30% Low/Medium

6. Verdict

Yugoslavia can either be boring or absolute hell. getting off the ground isn't hard but staying aloft while fighting basicly enicircled is the dark souls of hoi4. Alothough your industry can rival a nation like Italy or Spain or Romania so you can get a lot of factories.

Rating 5/10 Only for people who don't like to play or for massochists.

[Mr. Spaps]

war can be avoided by simply going communist and making your own faction, germany will not want war because she will already be at war with soviets and does not want to overextend itself.
italy will do nothing because i assume you formed puppets, uk will do nothing since you have decided to remain "neutral"

and no one will give a shit during 1939 that there is no debt in the Mediterranean since you're the one chilling in athens

[Not online!!!]

Ah Yugo, or the country that get's declared war on anyways.
You forgot 2 HUGE things to mention though.

1. You will get declared on, regardless what you do. Either Germany demands stuff, Italy tries to strongarm you or the UK for shits and giggles.
Especcially the UK is a problem, because depending on historical or ahistorical this can lead to the fact that you now have to deal with the AXIS and ALLIES.

2. The normal political tree is, let's face it, terrible.
A shit ton of problems with it self, basically the Macedonians screw your economy and military over, the corats will probably backstab you and the UK will take you from behind if for some miracle of a reason Italy tried to befriend you.
Bonus points for the simple fact that even if you claim Bulgaria, you don't even get cores on it. Attack greece and romania instead.

The only reasonable way you can play this country is with glorious TITO at the helm.

[Willimeister]

hey bottle, isnt i obvious that you would start with spamming military factories when you already have so much civilian factories?

[Soviet Gengar]

Civilian > Military

[seashell]

what about the method to build up
what factory should you work on?

[Soviet Gengar]

My only idea is join Axis, grab some balkan land and then turn on Hitler.

[seashell]

any ideas on doing yugo related achievements
i don't know how to build up

[Vicious]

Lmao

[Soviet Gengar]

I would have to say The UK, I had a gamw here I just leveled The German Player with Strat Bombers, like 300 buildings to repair.

[Vicious]

what is your favorite country to play as right now, to have fun?