An Exploration of Hearts of Iron IV: The Deep-cut of Kaisserreich

NEW YORK CITY – Kaissereich, the mod to HOI IV, one of Paradox’s hit games that explores World War II, is a cultural symbol for one, ephemeral, yet uniquely countercultural man, woman, or non-binary person: the teenage dirtbag. As a currently 18 year old owner of capital, anti-capitalist, let me explain the contradictions of this uniquely online group of gamers who are almost totally Gen-Z, and spent the large chunk of their adolescence largely in the throes of the coronavirus pandemic and who largely went back to school still masked up, as I did myself (spending my freshman year of high school wearing a mask and being fully remote, and my Sophomore year masked up in class, for the first semester- after which the mask mandate at my high school was lifted). 

So, let us delve into the ideologies and the stupidity of some of them, in Kaissereich, the alternate history mod for Hearts of Iron IV,  where Germany wins World War One, the “seminal tragedy” of the 20th century. And, let’s consider while we do, the incel and femcel, two groups of losers who in their twenties, remain groups of largely radicalized hyper-online people, cloistered in their homes but high propensity among the Zoomer generation. 

It is evidently an homage to “The Man In The High Castle” the historical fiction novel written by Phillip K. Dick, and also a TV series of the same name, with four seasons. However, the well researched alternate reality is much more interesting, to my mind, then at least the TV series. 

First, in this article, is the Syndicalist movement. It is a militant radical movement that, in this universe, overthrew the governments of France, and the United Kingdom, a pro-labor union but anti-soviet ideology, which also is largely seen as a revisionist ideology among more classically marxist traditions. 

It was, and largely still is, a defunct movement, however, there are now people who openly identify with the ideology, and its radical tenants of revolutionary activism, and militant activism among labor unions. It believes that the government should be a parliament of unions. It is also the main ideology that is espoused as socialist, with “Radical Socialists” being the term that the game describes classical Social Democrats and Democratic Socialists, as well as anarchists. 

The non-aligned movement interanational movement, is also still a thing in the third world, with South America and Ireland largely exemplifying this movement in the game. It is statistically large in the game, but for the purposes of this article it largely doesn’t grow unless America is won by the “Pacific States of America” in the Second American Civil War. Which brings me to: Huey Long. The King Fish, the man behind the slogan “Every Man a King”, and also, the “dictator of Louisiana”. 

Conceivably, he could’ve been America’s King, however he wasn’t. In Kaissereich, he rebels in the south and secedes, creating an American Union that invades the north, and west. In real life, he is assassinated before attempting to primary FDR. He is the true Populist. In the game, conflict between him and Syndicalists lead to a second civil war in America, where Jack Reed runs for President in 1936 leading the Socialist Party of America (however, it is up to the player if he, Long, or someone else from the Democratic/Republican “popular front” wins the civil war or the Presidential Election.) Herbert Hoover was also President until this election, and FDR is a forgotten politician in this modification to hoi4. 

Fascism, still exists, but it can only be achieved through playing and being a Longite, or choosing to allow Oswald Mosley to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Which is not as palatable to the large majority of people, thankfully. Italy, still exists as a non-unified nation, not a state but still a nation in culture and unity, forever the boot of Europe. Unless, you become one of the Italian states. Maybe you, could unify the Italian nation. 

Germany still exists as a unified nation-state. Led largely by liberal-democrats and the Social Democratic Party. However Europe remains a powderkeg ready for the second world war, could Germany again cause a world war by invading France through Belgium? Who knows? As a player, if you chose Germany, yeah probably. 

Kaisserreich, is an ephemeral vision of what today could be. You can play, and you can dominate the world, without cheating, as any of these warring factions, of any of these ridiculous nations. However, it is an echo of 1950. 

Hearts of Iron IV, is the game that has defined a generation’s experience of playing video games that are political and historical in nature. Paradox, has a lot to live up to in Hearts of Iron V. HOI 4 is a game which the multitude of the world played, abandoned, and left on in the background . Such is the way of the Grand Strategy game, to be succeded by HOI V. While not officially announced, still a likely product of the 2016 game's success. The ultimate chose your own adventure, for nation-states.

CLARIFICATION AUGUST 5th 2025, 10:14 P.M.: Clarifications have been issued in order to condense the articles, as well as issued for one major grammatical error which annoyed the author.