Editorial use case · Newcomer
First alternate-history campaign
STARTS AS A GREAT POWER STOP READS EVENTS SLOWLY STOP LEARNS NEW IDEOLOGIES THROUGH PLAY STOP SWITCHES TO SMALLER NATIONS ON SECOND RUN STOP
v1.7 Hearts of Iron IV mod · Updated November 9, 2026
Kaiserreich – Experience an Epic Alternate History Strategy Mod
“What if Germany had won World War 1?”
Kaiserreich: Legacy of the Weltkrieg is a free total-conversion mod for Paradox's Hearts of Iron IV. It starts in 1936 in a world where the Central Powers won the First World War, then hands you unique focus trees, political movements and event chains for nations across the globe. Version 1.7 is the current release, built by the volunteer Kaiserreich Team for HOI4 1.19.4 and available through Steam Workshop and the team's official GitHub repository.
Direct 1.7b archive from github.com/Kaiserreich · requires Hearts of Iron IV
Kaiserreich 1.7 · Crossroads of CivilisationReleased September 18, 2026Hotfix 1.7b · October 27, 2026Built for Hearts of Iron IV 1.19.4Free modSteam Workshop & GitHubWindows · macOS · LinuxKaiserreich 1.7 · Crossroads of CivilisationReleased September 18, 2026Hotfix 1.7b · October 27, 2026Built for Hearts of Iron IV 1.19.4Free modSteam Workshop & GitHubWindows · macOS · Linux
Features
The Kaiserreich dossier
Open each file to see what the mod changes. Kaiserreich keeps HOI4's core gameplay but rewrites the world it takes place in.
An alternate 1936
The Central Powers won the First World War, often called the Weltkrieg in the mod. The 1936 map reflects that outcome: a dominant German Empire, revolutionary syndicalist states in France and Britain, and a very different Russia, America and Asia.
SettingFocus trees across the world
Kaiserreich gives nations on every continent their own national focus trees, events and decisions, so smaller countries can be as interesting to play as the great powers.
ContentIts own political spectrum
The mod replaces HOI4's ideologies with a broader spectrum built for its timeline, including syndicalism and totalism, alongside democratic, authoritarian and monarchist options.
PoliticsEvents and world news
Long event chains, elections, coups and diplomatic crises unfold through events and world news, so the story of each campaign is told in-game rather than in a manual.
NarrativeStory-driven diplomacy
Factions, wars and peace deals follow the setting's logic. You cannot always join any faction or puppet anyone, which keeps the alternate history coherent.
RulesGame rules
Game rules let you adjust scenario options before starting, such as assigning territories or changing how certain storylines resolve.
OptionsMusic and a submod ecosystem
The team publishes a separate Kaiserreich Music mod, and hundreds of community submods add flavour, graphics and new paths.
ExtrasVersion archive on GitHub
Every release is tagged on GitHub, so you can keep playing an old campaign on the version it started with.
UpdatesDownload
Requisition form: Kaiserreich 1.7
Two official sources. The red option downloads the file straight from GitHub; the Steam option opens the Workshop page inside Steam.
Form KR-1.7Information checked November 9, 2026
- Mod
- Kaiserreich: Legacy of the Weltkrieg
- Version
- 1.7 “Crossroads of Civilisation”
- Released
- September 18, 2026
- Latest hotfix
- 1.7b (October 27, 2026)
- Developer
- The Kaiserreich Team (KR4 Team)
- Publisher
- Kaiserreich Team, via Steam Workshop & GitHub
- Price
- Free fan mod
- Requires
- Hearts of Iron IV 1.19.4
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Package
- .zip source archive / Workshop item
- Workshop ID
- 1521695605
- Repository
- github.com/Kaiserreich/Kaiserreich-4
Issue the mod
Pick one. Both come from the Kaiserreich team.
Option A · Direct file
GitHub archive (1.7b)
Downloads Kaiserreich-4-1.7b.zip immediately. Best for manual installs, offline copies and older saves.
Option B · Auto-updating
Steam Workshop
Subscribe once and Steam keeps Kaiserreich updated. Needs HOI4 on Steam.
Subscribe on Steam WorkshopRelease date is when version 1.7 was published; the check date is when we last confirmed these details. The team lists every authorised source on its download locations page.
How to download
Five orders for a clean download
What the main button opens, which package to choose and how to make sure you have the genuine file.
Own Hearts of Iron IV
Kaiserreich is a mod, not a standalone game. Install HOI4 and update it to the version the mod supports.
Choose a route
Steam Workshop for automatic updates, or the GitHub archive for a manual or offline install.
Use the official source
Our red button pulls the 1.7b archive from the Kaiserreich team's own GitHub repository. No new tab, no redirect page.
Save and extract
Save the .zip, then extract it into Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\mod as the README explains.
Verify the publisher
Check that the file came from github.com/Kaiserreich or the Steam Workshop item 1521695605, the official locations.
What the button actually does: it requests 1.7b.zip from GitHub's archive service for the official Kaiserreich-4 repository. Your browser saves the file and this page stays open. Never disable your antivirus or browser protection to install a mod.
The Kaiserreich GazetteSpecial edition · v1.7Price: free
One question, two decades of alternate history
Kaiserreich began in 2005 on Hearts of Iron II as a rebrand of an older mod called “All the Russias”. It moved to Darkest Hour and, from December 2016, to Hearts of Iron IV, where a dedicated volunteer team develops it today. Learn more about this independent site on our About page.
The mod is for strategy players who already know HOI4's mechanics and want a world they cannot predict. Instead of replaying the Second World War, you face new rivalries: the German Empire's sphere, the syndicalist Internationale and a shattered Entente, among many others.
“What if Germany had won World War 1?”
Use case: the history reader
A player curious about alternate history explores a single nation's story, reading every event and choosing political paths to see how the timeline could unfold.
Use case: the grand strategist
A veteran HOI4 player looking for new challenges takes a minor nation through the Second Weltkrieg and tries to reshape the world order.
Use case: the multiplayer group
Friends split the great powers between them and play the same setting with very different ideological goals.
Installation & first use
Two routes to the front
No administrator rights or installer are needed. Both routes end in the Paradox launcher's playset screen.
Route A
Steam Workshop
- Open Hearts of Iron IV's Workshop page and find Kaiserreich (item 1521695605), or use our Steam button.
- Click Subscribe. Steam downloads the mod in the background.
- Start HOI4. In the Paradox launcher, create a playset and add Kaiserreich to it.
- Make sure no other total conversion, such as Kaiserredux, is active in the same playset.
- Press Play, pick a nation and begin in 1936.
Steam updates the mod automatically. Old saves may stop working after a major update.
Route B
Manual install from GitHub
- Download the 1.7b .zip with the red button on this page.
- Extract it into your HOI4
modfolder (path below). - Copy the included
descriptor.mod, make sure itsnameandpathmatch the extracted folder, and place the copy in themodfolder as a.modfile. - Open the launcher and enable the mod in a playset.
- Start a new game. The official wiki has a step-by-step manual installation page.
Keep each version in its own folder if you want to finish older campaigns.
Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\mod
Compatibility
Requirements and supported setups
Kaiserreich runs wherever Hearts of Iron IV runs. Below: the mod's version targets and the base game's minimum specs.
| Setup | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| HOI4 1.19.4 | Version Kaiserreich 1.7 is built for | Supported |
| Later HOI4 hotfixes | Expected to work, not guaranteed by the team | Likely |
| Older HOI4 versions | Use a matching older Kaiserreich tag from GitHub | Not for 1.7 |
| Windows, macOS, Linux | Same platforms as Hearts of Iron IV | Supported |
| Kaiserredux active together | Separate fork; do not combine | Not supported |
| Old savegames after a major patch | Major patches are never save-compatible | Not supported |
| Consoles | Hearts of Iron IV has no console version | Not available |
Kaiserreich timeline
- 2005First Kaiserreich release for Hearts of Iron II
- Dec 1, 2016Hearts of Iron IV version appears on Steam Workshop
- Dec 2019Beta 0.10 “Blood on the Yangtze” leaves alpha
- Late 2023Version 1.0 released
- Dec 22, 20251.6 “What Happened in Ju”
- September 18, 20261.7 “Crossroads of Civilisation”
- October 27, 2026Hotfix 1.7b
| Platform | Operating system | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 Home 64-bit | Intel Core i5 750 / AMD FX 4300 | 4 GB RAM |
| macOS | macOS 13 Ventura | Intel Core i5 2.6 GHz or better | 4 GB RAM |
| Linux | Ubuntu 20.04 or later | See the Steam listing | 4 GB RAM |
Pros & cons
The verdict sheet
For
- Completely freeAll content comes at no cost on top of HOI4.
- Huge replay valueMany nations with their own paths and outcomes.
- Coherent settingTwo decades of lore make the alternate world feel consistent.
- Active developmentRegular patches, with the latest major release in 2026.
- Version archiveOld releases stay downloadable on GitHub for unfinished saves.
Against
- Requires HOI4You need the paid base game first.
- Steep learning curveNew ideologies and lore can overwhelm newcomers.
- Save breaksMajor updates are not save-compatible.
- Late-game performanceLong campaigns can slow down on older CPUs.
- Grounded by designPlayers wanting wild paths may prefer Kaiserredux.
Comparison
Kaiserreich vs Kaiserredux vs Road to 56
Three of the most-discussed HOI4 overhauls compared on the same criteria. "Unconfirmed" means we could not verify it from an official source.
| Criteria | Kaiserreich | Kaiserredux | The Road to 56 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Alternate-history total conversion | Fork of Kaiserreich | Expansion of the historical game |
| Setting | Central Powers won WWI | Same setting, wider changes | Real-world history |
| Design focus | Grounded, coherent story | Fun and unusual scenarios over realism | More content for the vanilla timeline |
| Origin | HOI2 version from 2005 | Started late 2019 as a submod collection | Unconfirmed |
| Price | Free | Free | Free |
| Run with Kaiserreich? | — | No, separate mod | No, different setting |
| Workshop ID | 1521695605 | 2076426030 | 820260968 |
Troubleshooting
Incident reports
The problems players hit most often, with causes and fixes. Full change history lives in the official patch notes.
REPORT 01
“Descriptor file missing”
Cause: the launcher lost track of the mod files.
Fix: unsubscribe and resubscribe, or for manual installs check that the path in the .mod file matches the folder.
REPORT 02
Mod marked as out of date
Cause: HOI4 and Kaiserreich versions do not match.
Fix: update both. If you must stay on an older HOI4, download a matching tag from GitHub.
REPORT 03
Save won't load after update
Cause: major patches are not save-compatible.
Fix: install the older version from the GitHub tags list in a separate folder to finish that campaign.
REPORT 04
Strange text or crashes
Cause: two overhaul mods, or an outdated submod, are loaded together.
Fix: use a clean playset with only Kaiserreich, then add submods one at a time.
REPORT 05
Game slows down late
Cause: many active wars and divisions in the 1940s.
Fix: lower game speed, close background apps and avoid heavy graphical submods.
REPORT 06
Found a genuine bug
Cause: every big mod has some.
Fix: report it on the team's GitHub issue tracker with your version number and steps.
Back up saves
Copy your HOI4 save games folder before updating the mod.
Update both together
Keep HOI4 and Kaiserreich on matching versions.
Read the patch notes
Major changes and save breaks are announced on the official wiki.
Editorial perspectives
Dispatches from the front
Three illustrative player profiles written by our editors to show who gets the most from Kaiserreich.
Editorial use case · Veteran
Minor-nation challenge
PICKS A SMALL COUNTRY STOP FOLLOWS ITS FOCUS TREE TO REGIONAL POWER STOP SURVIVES THE SECOND WELTKRIEG STOP ARCHIVES SAVE VERSION ON GITHUB STOP
Editorial use case · Group
Multiplayer evening
FRIENDS SPLIT RIVAL BLOCS STOP ALL USE SAME MOD VERSION STOP CLEAN PLAYSET NO SUBMODS STOP CAMPAIGN SPANS SEVERAL SESSIONS STOP
Illustrative scenarios, not quotes from real players. We do not publish invented reviews or ratings.
FAQ
Questions from the field
Downloads, versions, compatibility and support. More in the Kaiserreich guides.
Is Kaiserreich free?+
Yes. Kaiserreich is a free, fan-made mod. You only need a copy of Hearts of Iron IV, the Paradox strategy game it runs on.
What is the latest Kaiserreich version?+
Kaiserreich 1.7 “Crossroads of Civilisation” was released on September 18, 2026. The newest hotfix tag on GitHub is 1.7b (October 27, 2026). It is built for Hearts of Iron IV 1.19.4.
What does the download button on this site do?+
The red button downloads the official 1.7b archive directly from the Kaiserreich team's GitHub repository. The file is saved by your browser and you stay on this page. The second button opens the mod's Steam Workshop page in your Steam client.
Should I use Steam Workshop or the GitHub download?+
Use Steam Workshop if you own Hearts of Iron IV on Steam: it installs and updates the mod automatically. Use the GitHub archive if you need a manual install, an offline copy or an older version to continue an old save.
Which Hearts of Iron IV version does Kaiserreich need?+
Kaiserreich 1.7 targets HOI4 1.19.4. The team notes that later hotfixes are expected to work but are not guaranteed. If the launcher shows the mod as outdated, check that both the game and mod are up to date.
Are old saves compatible with new versions?+
Usually not after a major update. The official patch notes say major patches are never savegame-compatible. To finish an old campaign, download the matching older version from the GitHub tags list.
Can I play Kaiserreich with Kaiserredux?+
No. Kaiserredux is a separate fork of Kaiserreich, not an add-on. Enable only one of them at a time. Our Kaiserredux vs Kaiserreich guide explains the differences.
Does Kaiserreich work on macOS and Linux?+
Yes. Hearts of Iron IV runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and Kaiserreich is listed for all three platforms. Performance depends on your hardware and the size of the late-game world.
Where do I report bugs?+
The Kaiserreich team tracks bugs on its GitHub issue tracker, which needs a free GitHub account. This website cannot provide official support.
Is there a Kaiserreich wiki and Discord?+
Yes. The official Kaiserreich Wiki hosts patch notes, lore and installation help, and links to the community Discord and the r/Kaiserreich subreddit.
What does the name Kaiserreich mean?+
It is German for “empire ruled by an emperor”, the name commonly used for the German Empire of 1871–1918. Read What does Kaiserreich mean?
Final orders
Rewrite the 20th century
A free alternate world for Hearts of Iron IV, with new nations, ideologies and stories waiting from 1936 onward.
- Version 1.7 / 1.7b
- Free mod
- HOI4 1.19.4
- Windows · macOS · Linux
- Official GitHub source