Intro
Playing a grand strategy game like Hearts of Iron IV turned into a significant guilty pleasure while I was in college. Burning away hours by trying to take over a map in a WW2 setting, whether you're playing for the Allies, Axis, or Comintern, had a way of putting a smile on my face. But, when I got tired of the WW2 setting, I'd peruse through the steam workshop list to see what conversion mods could spice things up. By pure chance, I saw a particular mod that combined the mechanics of this game with the world of one I'd grown up loving from high school onwards: Fallout: Old World Blues.
Setting the Scene
Whenever one plays any of the fallout games, whether they be old or new, there has always been a plethora of different factions that the player can either join, fight or interact with. These very factions help breathe life and shape the world that is post-nuclear war America within the Fallout World.
Do you have any favorite factions that stand out to you? Perhaps the NCR, Brotherhood of Steel, or Caesar's Legion, to name a few? Do you believe that these factions should be the ones to control America and dominate its culture for years to come? If so, you're going to love Old World Blues.
The Factions
Besides the factions mentioned above, there are a plethora of factions in the world of Fallout that you've seen or have heard mention of in the past, with new ones being inserted to fit the overall lore, even in Mexico! You'll be able to play as familiar factions, including New Vegas or the Great Khans in Nevada. Are you looking for something new? Perhaps you're interested in trying out the plethora of leaders that are trying to carve their own part of the wasteland for themselves?
Maybe you'd prefer to try something new by enjoying the Texas region. There you can try out the Unity of Austin or Texan Brotherhood. Whether you want to be raiders, slavers, technophiles, democratic crusaders, or a nation of mutants, there's no shortage of variety with this game. It also has a variety of playstyles to accommodate each faction you would prefer.
The Map
The developers of this mod have expressed interest even today for having goals to cover the entire map of America. However, for now, this game covers primarily the western hemisphere of North America, which is still quite big given how many nations have sprung up past the nuclear apocalypse. From the bottom of Mexico to the reaches of Canada, you'll have options for where you can start, but do be aware of how the terrain will shape your strategy. Some nations will be divided by large lakes and rivers, with even mountains creating natural barriers and limiting your expansion options.
Such barriers can be used to your advantage depending on if you're bordering a scary and powerful nation like Caesar's Legion or the New California Republic. Understanding how the terrain works best in serving you can be a lifesaver, especially in the late game.
Resource Management
What you need to understand about this mod is that the resources and logistics you manage will differ significantly from the base game. Those used to playing majors like Germany, America or Russia while enjoying large pools of manpower will need to shift their strategy because manpower in Old World Blues for most factions (Unless you're the NCR or Caesar's Legion) is precious. Instead of working with millions of troops, you'll only be working with thousands, so make your actions and campaigns count. It makes perfect sense since civilization is recovering from the scars of a nuclear war, but that just means you need to fight smarter and choose your battles even moreso.
You also need to monitor other resources to manage, such as water, circuitry, power, and much more. Managing this while also ensuring your economy doesn't become defunct will factor heavily in how you should expand and develop your nations. You'll often find yourself taking over territory and taking the time to core tiles to reap the benefit of the population centers there. And if you feel like you have no chance when it comes to manpower, explore other options! Invest into a more special forces type military or develop robotics technologies, so you're limiting the losses of your population! The more creative you get with your circumstances, the more successful you'll be.
The Central Conflict
As for the context of the campaign itself, whichever faction you decide to play as, your going to be thrust into a time when Caesar's legion was genuinely starting to expand its borders, sometime before Caesar himself would turn his eyes west to conquer the crown jewel of Vegas. It will be time before its epic clash with the NCR, but that central conflict will shape much of the game, and it's up to you on how best to respond to it, whether you're close or far from the conflict. Do you try to take either faction out early on before the war begins? Perhaps you'd like to side with one of the two warring factions? Maybe just ignore them entirely and continue expanding and building your power base. If it's the latter, do so at your peril because whichever country comes out on top will be a powerhouse.
Still, if you're lucky, they may be too busy dealing with a different kind of technological threat that develops in Mexico. You have options when it comes to the endgame over who controls the heart of California and Arizona. If you're a veteran Hoi4 player, treat it like how you would treat Germany versus the USSR.
The Soul of America
This mod is something to be appreciated to its fullest extent, especially since the mod makers are constantly updating to this very day! The community is also quite welcoming and isn't afraid to give tips to newcomers to the wasteland that people seek to do battle on! It's a mod that does everything it can to ensure that from military doctrines to innovative National focuses, add to the immersion of the setting, and creates a marvel of a conversion mod that gives you a great chance to control the soul of post-nuclear America and shape it as you see fit.
However, keep in mind that even though this mod may bring something new to Hoi4 and Fallout, just remember that war…war never changes.
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