Forward Command

Forward Command (前敌指挥) — HOI4 tactical command / micro layer

Take personal command of every battle behind the map. Forward Command adds a battalion-level tactical layer to Hearts of Iron IV: when your divisions enter combat, drop from the strategic map into the contested province and command the battle yourself on a 3D hex-grid board — the outcome is written back into your campaign.

Features

• Province terrain → a hex board; divisions → battalion pieces; one vanilla hour → six tactical turns

• Airdrop written orders and command battalion by battalion — or telegraph the divisional HQ and let the AI take over

• Battle data read automatically from the game; combat resolution follows Lanchester's equations; results sync back automatically every game hour

• Maps generated from the vanilla province terrain; victory points contested by attacker and defender; cities, rivers and coastlines recreated at true proportions

How it works

• When your divisions fight in a frontline province, a "Tactical Command" decision appears in HOI4 — pick the province, pick the battle.

• The external program (forward-command.exe) reads your save — real division compositions, equipment, organization, strength, tech and doctrines — and generates a 3D hex-grid tactical map of the province from real terrain.

• Deploy your battalions, then command turn by turn: maneuver, assault, hold, fire support, retreat.

• Combat resolution follows Lanchester's equations.

• The enemy is driven by an AI that knows the HOI4 tactic-card system and counters your tactics.

• After sync or battle end, losses are injected straight back into HOI4: your divisions return to the strategic map with their true remaining organization and strength.

Requirements — read before subscribing

• This Workshop item is only half the system — you also need the external program forward-command.exe (free, open source): grab it from the GitHub Releases page, or join QQ group 960 830 355 for the latest builds.

• Windows only, single player only. Ironman mode is not supported.

• HOI4 1.19.* (tested with all DLCs; other environments may misbehave).

• HOI4 must use text-format saves: save_as_binary=no in settings.txt (the installer and the program's settings page can detect and fix this).

• The program automates the HOI4 console via Windows input injection to write results back — inherently fragile, and may trip antivirus heuristics. The full source code is public precisely so you can verify its behavior.

• If you also installed the mod manually from a zip, enable either the Workshop copy or the local copy — never both.

Status & version

Personal hobby project, no update schedule. Currently in beta — feedback welcome in the discussions or the QQ group. Mod version 0.3.2 — keep the exe on the same version (see GitHub Releases).