Horstorical Multiplayer
Horstorical Multiplayer is an ongoing project to create a mod which improves on five key principles compared to vanilla:
Horstorical is the most optimized mod on the steam workshop. Nations that don’t add anything to gameplay are removed, unused decisions are deleted, weather is deactivated in parts of the world which feature no combat at all, and defines are changed to reduce the chance your game is paused or slowed down by someone’s momentary internet hiccup. You can sit down and play a full game to 1943 in five hours, with just over an hour of build up time to Danzig.
Units, equipment, and overall gameplay is changed so there is variety. There is almost always more than one way to play a nation, more than way to build a division, and more than one way to design a tank. In Horst you have the option of designing mechanized (as well as making mechanized artillery divisions), unlike in vanilla, with an armored car designer coming down the road. Find tanks and infantry boring? Horst has a reworked naval system that will give you more than the 30 seconds of enjoyment vanilla offers for the one theatre deciding naval battle. You have options for fleet counters, more dynamic opportunities to engage and disengage, and less railroading than otherwise. Bored of generic focus tree? No minor in Horst has a generic focus tree – each has a unique focus tree to enjoy.
There is no interesting game to be had when there is only one way to play. "Bad" builds and equipment are buffed to be more useful, while "OP" things are changed to be weaker, but still very useful. Ensuring that nothing is "too good" or "terrible" is the cornerstone of the mod, as without balance there is no enjoyable content nor variety to draw from. While true balance may never be achieved, it is always being worked on and considered.
The mod is adjusted to deliver on a consistent, but unpredictable game. Germany will break France, but not without a fight. Africa will likely fall to the Axis after a months long campaign against the allies, but not without many thousands of casualties and at least half the lobby participating. The Pacific War and Barbarossa offer even greater experiences, leaving you busy for most of the game actually playing it. There is much micro to be had, and your decisions can significantly impact a front.
Pointless "noob traps" that add little to gameplay are removed, exploits are thoroughly patched out, and features are meticulously designed to make gameplay a little easier for newer players, but without making it dull for the very best. Meticulous and hours long grinding sessions are removed in favor of pre-designed generals, allowing all a level playing field to compete, removing any perverse incentives to discourage the newest of players from playing because they don’t have good enough the generals or advisors to go toe-to-toe with Germany, Japan, or the Soviet Union. Rules that are the most common source of pausing and bickering are almost universally modded into the mod or modded away as concerns. You will rarely pause over a rule break in Horst.
After three years and thousands of games, Horstorical Multiplayer has become one of the definitive mods of Hearts of Iron and the most subscribed to in historical MP.
Horstorical Multiplayer Standard Mod Ruleset[docs.google.com]
Credits[docs.google.com]
Translations
Russian (incorporated into the mod, switch to it in your launcher settings)
Ukrainian
[www.discord.gg]
[discord.gg]
custom unique model texture fps speed immersion HMP no asia gfx expert competitive casual world finest rebalance overhaul
Revisions:
Old revisions of this mod are available below. Click the link to download.
