Within this thesis, the deposition of Ti1-xAlxN hard coatings on different high speed steels (HSS) at elevated temperatures by reactive magnetron sputtering was investigated. Elevated deposition temperatures up to 600°C increase adatom-mobility and hence improve coating properties. However, a high thermal stability of the substrates is required. Thus, two different carbide-strengthened HSS and one intermetallic-strengthened HSS with high hot hardness have been deposited. To characterise the properties of the different substrate-steel combinations, hardness tests, X-ray diffraction, light-optical and scanning electron microscopy, tribological tests, optical profilometry as well as residual stress measurements were performed. A positive effect of the high deposition temperatures on coating properties like hardness and Youngs modulus as well as improved cutting performance have been determined.