The Officer Corps in Hearts of Iron IV

No Steps Back and the Barbarossa update introduced a new way to specialize your military with the Officer Corps. This powerful tool allows you to manage your high command, generals, and doctrines in one location. The main benefit of the officer corps, however, is the introduction of spirits.

Spirits are potent boosts that you can apply to each branch of your military in exchange for Army Experience. Keep in mind when selecting a spirit that you can only have one of each type active at once.

Army Command

Here you will manage your Chief of Army, land doctrine, and your army spirits. Army section gives you a unique option over the other military branches — the ability to select a preferred tactic. Selecting a preferred tactic increases the chance it will appear in combat by 25%. Army spirits are divided into three sections, each providing boosts to different aspects of the army.

Army Spirits

• Spirit of the Academy
• Spirit of the Army
• Spirit of Division Command

Spirits in this section will provide bonuses to your army officers. They each cost 20 Army Experience to activate.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Academy Scholarships	Army Leader Cost: -30% Starting Army Leader Level: +1 Commander as Advisor cost: -75% New officers have no personality traits when hired	Ideology:Communist
Best of the Best	Starting Army Leader Level: +2 Army Intelligence to others: -5% New officers have no personality traits when hired	Ideology:Democratic
Bold Attack	Officers have a 50% chance to gain +1 Attack on level up	None
Embrace the Future	New officers have a 50% chance to start with the Armor Officer Trait Panzer Leader trait XP gain: +20%	Doctrine:Mobile Warfare
Engineering Schools	New officers have a 50% chance to start with the Engineer Officer trait. Engineer trait XP gain: +20% Fortress Buster and Scavenger trait XP gain: +10%	Doctrine:Superior Firepower
Inventive Leadership	Trickster, Commando, Naval Invader trait XP gain: +20% New Officers: 50% chance to begin with one of Trickster, Commando, or Naval Invader	None
Meticulous Preparation	Officers have a 50% chance to gain +1 Planning and Logistics on level up	None
Political Loyalty	Military Leader Cost: -50% Party Popularity Stability: +15% New officers start with either the Politically Connected or the Media Personality trait.	Ideology:Fascist or Non-Aligned
Tenacious Defense	Officers have a 50% chance to gain +1 Defense on level up.	None
The Queen of Battle	New officers have a 50% chance to start with the Infantry Officer trait. Infantry Leader trait XP gain: +20%	Doctrine:Mass Assault
Theatre Training	New Officers: 50% chance to start with either the Brilliant Strategist or Inflexible Strategist trait. All terrain traits XP gain: +20%	Doctrine:Grand Battle Plan

This spirit has a selection of battalion bonuses and miscellaneous enhancements for your army. It costs 35 Army Experience to activate one.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Professional Officer Corps	Army Experience: +5% Daily Command Power: +0.20 Land Doctrines Cost -5%	None
Proper Heritage	Supply Penalties on Cored Territory: -20% Cavalry Attack: +5% Cavalry Unit Design Cost: -100%	None
Elevated Engineering Corps	Entrenchment Speed: +10% Railway Gun Bombardment: +5% Engineer Company Unit Design Cost: -100% Engineer Trait XP GainL +25%	None
Quick Improvisation	Planning Speed: +20% Daily Command power: +0.20 Command Abilities Cost: -20%	None
Relief of Command	Army Experience Gain: +25% Army Advisor Cost: -50%	Ideology:Democratic
Ideological Loyalty	Weekly Manpower: +500 Encirclement penalty: -20%	Ideology:Communist
State serves the Military	Political Power: +10% Conscription Laws Cost: -25%	Ideology:Fascist
Tip of the Spear	Naval Invasion Capacity: +10 Extra Paratrooper and Marine Supply Grace: +24 Hours Naval Invasion Planning: +20% Marine, Mountaineer, and Paratroop Unit Design Cost: -100%	Doctrine:Grand Battle Plan
Overwhelming Firepower	Artillery experience gain from combat: +10% Support, Line, and Motorized Artillery Unit Design Cost: -100% Infantry Unit Design Cost: -100% All Self-Propelled Artillery, besides modern, Unit Design Cost: -100%	Doctrine:Superior Firepower
Bayonet Strength	Infantry experience gain from combat: +10%  Infantry Unit Design Cost: −100%  Motorized and Mechanized Infantry Unit Design Cost: -100%	Doctrine:Mass Assault
Motorization Drive	Motorized and Mechanized experience gain from combat: +10%  All Tank Unit Design Cost: -100%  Motorized and Mechanized Infantry Unit Design Cost: -100%	Doctrine:Mobile Warfare

Spirits of Division Command offer boosts to your battle stats and increase the chance of using specific tactics. Each spirit costs 50 Army Experience to activate.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Static Warfare	Entrenchment speed: +10% Max Entrenchment: +10% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	None
Flexible Organization	Divisions speed: +5% Organization Loss when Moving: -15% Preferred Tactics Selection cost: −15	None
Aggressive Reconnaissance	Reconnaissance: +15% Intel from combat: +15% Chance of Infiltration Assault Tactic: +100%	None
Reserve Officers	Division training time: -15% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	None
Victory or Death	Organization loss when below 25%: -15% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	None
Logistical Focus	Supply Consumption: -5% Navy/Air Fuel Consumption: -5% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	Doctrine:Grand Battleplan
Smoke and Fire	Breakthrough: +5% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	Doctrine:Superior Firepower
Operational Reserves	HP: +10% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	Doctrine:Mass Assault
Maneuver Warfare	Divisions Speed: +5% Coordination: +5% Chance of Elastic Defense or Overwhelming Fire Tactic: +100%	Doctrine:Mobile Warfare

Naval Command

This section lets you manage your Chief of Navy, naval doctrine, and three naval spirits. Similar to the army spirits, the naval spirits are divided into three sections, designed to enhance different aspects of your navy.

Naval Spirits

• Spirit of Naval Academy
• Spirit of the Navy
• Spirit of Naval Command

Spirits in this category will improve your admirals. The cost to activate one is 20 Navy Experience.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Instilled Aggression	Admirals have a 20% chance to gain +1 Attack on level up	None
Calculated Restraint	Admirals have a 20% chance to gain +1 Defense on level up	None
Signals Training	Admirals have a 20% chance to gain +1 Maneuvering and Coordination on level up	None
Academy Scholarships	Navy Leader Cost: -40% Starting level of new navy leaders: +1 New Admirals have no personality traits gained on hiring	None
Best of the Best	Starting level of new navy leaders: +2 -5% Navy intelligence to others New Admirals have no personality traits gained on hiring.	None
Grand Fleet	Superior Tactician trait XP gain: +20% Ironside trait XP: +20% New Admirals have a 50% chance to begin with the Gunnery Expert trait.	Doctrine:Fleet in Being
Convoy Warfare	Sea Wolf trait XP gain: +20% Blockade Runner trait XP: +20% New Admirals have a 50% chance to begin with the Sea Wolf or Blockade Runner traits.	Doctrine:Trade Interdiction
Integrated Air Arm	Fleet Protector trait XP: +20% Air Controller trait XP: +20% New Admirals have a 50% chance chance to begin with the Aviation Enthusiast trait.	Doctrine:Base Strike

These spirits help you improve your ships before they are deployed to battle. Activating one costs 35 Navy Experience.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Jeune École	Destroyer Research Speed: +20% Light Ship Design Cost: -60%	None
Flexible Contracts	Cruiser Design Cost: -60% Naval Designer Cost: -80%	None
Integrated Designers	Ship Modules Research Speed: +20% Naval Research Speed: +20%	None
Naval Reform	Navy Experience: +15%	None
Naval Refit Yards	Ship Refitting Speed: +25% Ship Repair Speed: +15%	None
Global Presence	Battleship Research Speed: +20% Heavy Cruiser Research Speed: +20% Heavy Ship Design Cost: -60%	Doctrine:Fleet in Being
Submarine Primacy	Submarine Research Speed: +20% Submarine Design Cost: -60%	Doctrine:Trade Interdiction
Mobile Force	Carrier Research Speed: +20% Carrier Design Cost: -60%	Doctrine:Base Strike

This section provides boosts to your navy when they are in battle. It will cost 50 Navy Experience to activate one.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Close Combat	Screen Attack: +5% Torpedo Screen Penetration: +5%	None
Night Fighting	Night-Time Attack: +10% Night-Time Spotting: +10% Visibility: -5%	None
Efficient Communications	Positioning: +15%	None
Inclement Weather Experience	Bad Weather Penalty: -40%	None
Brave Commanders	Retreat Decision Chance: -5% Critical Hit Chance: +15%	None
Bureau of Ordnance	Torpedo Hit Chance: -10%	Country:United States
Decisive Battle	Naval Hit Chance: +10% Retreat Decision Chance: -10% Fleet Speed while Retreating: -10% Torpedo hit Chance: +10%	Doctrine:Fleet in Being
Surface Raiders	Retreat Decision Chance: +10% Fleet Speed while Retreating: +10% Screening Bonus with only capital ships: +20%	Doctrine:Trade Interdiction
Surprise Attacks	Retreat chance after initial combat: +10% Retreat speed after initial combat: +10%	Doctrine:Base Strike

Air Force Command

Last but not least, we have the Air Force section of the officer corps. As you might expect, here you can manage your Chief of Air Force, air doctrine, and your air force spirits. Unlike the other sections, however, you only get two spirits to choose from here.

Air Force Spirit

• Spirit of the Air Force
• Spirit of Air Force Command

This category of spirits is focused on researching and designing new aircraft. They cost 50 Air Experience to enable.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Independent Air Force	Air Advisor Cost: -75%	None
Industry Liaisons	Light, Medium, Heavy, and Naval Aircraft Research Speed: +15%	None
Effective Training Programs	Air Wing Training Experience: +25%	None
Branch Independence Spirit	Air Experience Daily Gain: +0.1 Airforce Intelligence to others: -5%	None
Air Crew Surveys	Air Accidents Chance: -25% Air Doctrine Cost:-15%	None
Industrial Destruction	Heavy Aircraft Research Speed: +5% Strategic Bomber and Jet Strategic Bomber Design Cost: -75%	Doctrine:Strategic Destruction
Dive Bombing	Close Air Support Research Speed: +5% Close Air Support Design Cost: -75% Carrier Close Air Support Design Cost: -75%	Doctrine:Battlefield Support
Material Destruction	Tactical Bomber Research Speed: +5% Tactical Bomber and Jet Tactical Bomber Design Cost: -75%	Doctrine:Operational Integrity

These spirits provide general bonuses to your air force. Each one of these also costs 50 Air Experience to activate.

Spirit	Effects	Requirements
Battlefield Air Interdiction	Escort Efficiency: +5% Ground Attack: +5%	None
Veteran Air Instructors	Air Wing Experience loss when defeated: -25%	None
Centralized Control	Fighter Detection: +10% Air Mission Efficiency: +10%	None
Home Defense	Air home defense: +10%	None
Air Power Projection	Air power projection: +10%	None
CAG Night Fighting	Carrier night penalty reduction: +33%	Country:United Kingdom
Steel Wings, Steel Hearts	Untrained Pilot Penalty: -33%	Ideology:Communist
Total Devastation	Strategic Bombing: +10%	Doctrine:Strategic Destruction
Continuous Strike	Air Support Mission Efficiency: +25%	Doctrine:Battlefield Support
Massed Strike	Air Superiority: +5%	Doctrine:Operational Integrity

The officer corps provides a great quality-of-life feature for managing the direction of your military in a single location, and spirits are a powerful tool to add to your arsenal while preparing for war. Optimizing spirits to fit your goals and military composition can give you an important edge in Hearts of Iron IV.