Are you ready to take your nation to the next level? In our Hearts of Iron 4 resources guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know about managing oil, steel, aluminum, and more. You’ll learn how to acquire resources, reduce usage, and make smart decisions that keep your war machine moving.
Table of Contents
Hearts of Iron 4 Resources – Need to Know
Resources are vital for your army in Hearts of Iron 4. Without them, your production will stop, which is basically GG. Each nation can only use a certain percentage of its resources for military production. The rest is reserved for trade. This percentage is determined by your trade law. With a Closed Economy, you keep everything for yourself, but you can’t trade for extra supplies.
If you want to increase your resource pool in Hearts of Iron 4, you have several options:
- Excavation tech: Each level boosts resource extraction efficiency by 10 percent. Maxing out all five levels grants a 50 percent bonus.
- Infrastructure: Each level boosts extraction in that state by 20 percent, up to a maximum of 100 percent.
- Supply hubs or naval bases: Connected to your capital, they provide an additional +20 percent boost.
Remember: resources can’t be stockpiled. They go directly into production. If you have more than you need, the excess is wasted. The only exception is fuel, which you can actually stockpile.
Missing resources in Hearts of Iron IV can reduce your efficiency. Each missing unit incurs a -5 percent penalty per factory, and the penalties quickly add up. That’s why you need to balance your civilian factories between importing resources and building your own infrastructure. Sometimes it’s smarter to accept a production penalty early on and reserve your factories for construction.
Some nations have special advisors or national focuses that lessen these penalties. Also, if you’re buying resources, it’s often better to purchase them from allies or future faction members, since your civilian factories then stay “in the family.”
💡 Tip: Check out our Hearts of Iron 4 Beginner’s Guide!
Resources Overview
Oil
Oil doesn’t directly build your tanks or planes in Hearts of Iron 4, but it’s the backbone of everything that moves. Instead of going into manufacturing, it gets refined into fuel, which keeps your ships, aircraft, and vehicles running. No fuel means your navy is stuck in port, and your planes stay grounded.
You’re not limited to natural oil deposits alone. Synthetic refineries allow you to produce oil using technology, so you don’t have to depend solely on what’s available in your territory. That can be a lifesaver for nations with weak natural reserves.
Who needs oil the most?
- Aviation: Low demand
- Navy: Medium demand
- Cars: Low demand
- Mechanized units: Medium demand
- Mechanized artillery: Medium demand
- Tanks: Low demand
So, while oil is technically necessary for many units in Hearts of Iron IV, it isn’t a major bottleneck for production itself. You can establish numerous production lines as long as you have enough refineries or trade deals to meet your fuel needs. Keep in mind, though: once the war kicks into gear, fuel consumption skyrockets, especially if you’re running a large navy or air force.
Aluminum
Aluminum is your key resource for building planes. Every aircraft in Hearts of Iron 4 consumes aluminum during production, so if you’re aiming to dominate the skies, you’ll need a reliable supply. It’s also used for support equipment, but that demand is minor compared to your aviation needs.
Unlike oil, you can’t fake aluminum with refineries. Mining is the only way to obtain it, so if your homeland doesn’t have enough, you’ll be forced into trade deals. That makes aluminum one of the most crucial imports for nations focused on air power.
Who needs aluminum the most?
- Aviation: High demand
- Support battalions: Low demand
Rubber
Rubber might not sound flashy, but it’s essential if you want your air force to stay competitive. Every aircraft in Hearts of Iron 4 requires rubber for manufacturing, though not as much as aluminum. It also contributes to the build costs of cars, mechanized units, and artillery, but those demands are usually small enough for your local resources to manage.
Like oil, you’re not limited to relying solely on natural deposits. Synthetic refineries can produce rubber, and while the trade income isn’t huge, it’s usually enough to meet light to medium demand.
Who needs rubber the most?
- Aviation: Medium demand
- Cars: Low demand
- Mechanized vehicles: Low demand
- Mechanized artillery: Low demand
Steel
If there’s one resource you’ll always need more of, it’s steel. From rifles to battleships, steel fuels nearly everything in Hearts of Iron 4. Without it, your factories slow down, and your army’s progress comes to a halt.
Steel is essential for infantry weapons, artillery, tanks, ships, trains, armored cars, and even railway guns. Basically, if it’s not a plane, it probably requires steel. The only ways to get steel in Hearts of Iron 4 are through trade or your own deposits, and if your nation doesn’t have enough, prepare to burn a lot of convoys importing it.
Who needs steel the most?
- Weaponry: High demand
- Support battalions: Medium demand
- Cars: Low demand
- Mechanized units: High demand
- Artillery: High demand
- Tanks: High demand
- Navy: High demand
Tungsten/Wolfram
Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a rare but essential metal. It’s primarily used for anti-tank weapons, artillery, and advanced machinery. Without it, your divisions in Hearts of Iron IV will struggle to penetrate enemy armor, and your late-game technology won’t perform as well.
Since it’s not something you can synthesize, you’re limited to trade or local deposits. Countries lacking tungsten-rich areas often spend many civilian factories importing it.
Who needs tungsten the most?
- Artillery: Medium demand
- Mechanized artillery: Medium demand
- Aviation (jets): High demand
Chromium
Chromium is the preferred metal for advanced engines and heavy armor. If you’re planning to deploy late-game tanks or build a fleet of battleships in Hearts of Iron 4, you’ll require a lot of it. Without chromium, your production of high-end vehicles and ships will come to a halt.
It’s essential for modern and super-heavy tanks, welded armor, advanced tank guns, high-tier anti-tank weapons, large ships, jet aircraft, and even railway guns. Since you can’t synthesize it, chromium must be obtained from trade or local deposits.
Who Needs Chromium the Most?
- Tanks: High demand
- Navy: Medium demand
How to Get More Resources
- Trade: Use civilian factories to import what you need.
- Prospecting and focuses: Some decisions and national focuses unlock new resource deposits.
- Infrastructure: Building it in resource states increases output.
- Supply hubs and naval bases: Add one in a resource state and connect it to your capital for a bonus.
- Synthetic refineries: Produce oil and rubber without needing natural reserves.
- Trade laws: Switch to a Closed Economy or similar to keep more of your own resources.
- Excavation tech: Research it to boost extraction efficiency.
- Conquest: Take over states rich in steel, oil, or other resources.
- Peace deals and decisions: Secure rights to resources after wars or through unique nation options.
How to Reduce Resource Usage
Sometimes, simply obtaining more resources isn’t enough. When your production lines are losing steel, oil, or aluminum, you need to think more strategically. Hearts of Iron 4 allows you to reduce resource costs in several smart ways.
Ways to save on resources:
- Build cheaper gear: Lower-tier equipment and chassis cost fewer resources.
- Aircraft designs: Use Non-Strategic Material Usage to lower aluminum requirements.
- Leave out extras: Skipping costly components like squeeze-bore adaptors, flight deck armor, or self-sealing fuel tanks helps reduce resource drain.
- Produce first, then convert: Begin with simple tank or aircraft designs, then adapt them later. You’ll save resources overall.
- Refit ships: Build ships without heavy armor and upgrade them later. You only pay the resource cost when adding the upgrade.
- Industrial bonuses: Some MIO policies and bonuses reduce resource use overall. Vertical Integration and Permanent Industrial Revolution are particularly effective, although the former makes shortages more painful.
Resource Prospecting Decisions
If your nation is lacking resources, prospecting decisions can provide a lasting boost. They allow you to explore further into states you already control, permanently increasing your base resources and benefiting your economy.
The catch? Prospecting uses civilian factories for a fixed period and costs 25 to 50 political power. You also need the appropriate Construction or Excavation techs unlocked. Just occupying a state isn’t enough; you must both own and control it.
Some prospecting decisions are even repeatable. Each time you make them, they take longer: twice as long the second time, three times as long the third, and so on. The investment can be high, but it pays off if you want to avoid relying on trade for critical resources.
Think of prospecting as a long-term strategy. It isn’t influenced by construction speed modifiers, so it’s not a quick solution. But once those new deposits open, your factories will thank you.
Get More Resources With PLITCH!
Mastering resources in Hearts of Iron 4 is just as crucial as commanding armies on the battlefield. Whether you’re trading, building refineries, or conquering new territories, keeping your production lines supplied is essential for victory. Plan ahead, balance your civilian factories, and always think about which resources your strategy will need the most.
But sometimes, no matter how well you plan, you’ll hit a wall. That’s where PLITCH comes in. With our Hearts of Iron 4 cheats, you can take full control of your economy. Add the exact resource you need—Oil, Aluminum, Rubber, Tungsten, Steel, or Chromium—and keep your war machine running smoothly. No more stalled production lines or desperate trades.
Check out this blog and our YouTube channel to see more ways PLITCH can change the way you play.
Happy Gaming!
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