Join Empire or Stormcloaks? My Thoughts

[LoneWolfEburg]

A question: how prudent it would be of the Stormcloaks, after their victory, to start irredentist wars on neighbouring provinces (we've driven the Empire out of Skyrim, but we also have a legitimate right to Bruma, so we shall not rest until this Nordic-by-right city is back to its rightful owners, and High Rock should give us Jehanna back, or we'll take it with force of arms, and we also probably should claim parts of Morrowind, while we're at it)? To me, it would be a horribly misguided approach.

[GetTheJojDone]

Of course the Medes are no Tiber Septim, but for what it's worth they have been keeping the Empire together through very turbulent times. Titus Mede I defeated all opposition and kept the Empire intact through the conflict of succession in the wake of the Septim Dynasty's end, while Titus Mede II led the Legions from a crushing defeat to a grinding stalemate in the Great War, and had managed to keep the Civil War in Skyrim from spiraling out of control prior to the events of TES V. In fact, before Alduin's intervention, it does seem that the Civil War was almost coming to a close with the capture of Ulfric Stormcloak.

 

Yes, I'd say the Medes aren't bad for a non-Dragonborn dynasty. They certainly don't lack political or military skill, so it kinda strikes me as unfair that Ulfric and other detractors label them incompetent and/or weak.

Edited February 20, 2015 by GetTheJojDone

[MidbossVyers]

A question: how prudent it would be of the Stormcloaks, after their victory, to start irredentist wars on neighbouring provinces (we've driven the Empire out of Skyrim, but we also have a legitimate right to Bruma, so we shall not rest until this Nordic-by-right city is back to its rightful owners, and High Rock should give us Jehanna back, or we'll take it with force of arms, and we also probably should claim parts of Morrowind, while we're at it)? To me, it would be a horribly misguided approach.

Did they ever say that?

[117649AR]

A question: how prudent it would be of the Stormcloaks, after their victory, to start irredentist wars on neighbouring provinces (we've driven the Empire out of Skyrim, but we also have a legitimate right to Bruma, so we shall not rest until this Nordic-by-right city is back to its rightful owners, and High Rock should give us Jehanna back, or we'll take it with force of arms, and we also probably should claim parts of Morrowind, while we're at it)? To me, it would be a horribly misguided approach.

 

Honestly I wouldn't see the Stormcloaks doing so, insofar as they seem to be more isolationist than jingoistic: "Skyrim for the Nords" rather than "We're Nords, we're superior, we deserve what you have" (that seems more in the vein of the Thalmor). That being said, Skyrim post-Stormcloak victory would still have internal conflict to deal with (roughly half the population, after all, still supports the Empire), and I sincerely doubt the Empire would simply leave the province well enough alone. While severely weakened from decade upon decade of constant war, the Legion still vastly outnumbers the fighting men of Skyrim, even if they were unified. Besides which, even discounting the Empire, High Rock has been relatively untouched by the post-Oblivion Crisis wars (aside from sending its young men to the Legion), meaning it is militarily in a much better position than Skyrim (whose fighting men have been killing each other in droves), and if you've played Morrowind you'll know that while the province has been devastated, the armies of House Redoran are some of the best in Tamriel, perhaps outstripping the Legion on a man-for-man basis in quality. After all, they beat back an invasion by raging Argonians, high off of their victory against the armies of Dagon, and infuriated by centuries of raiding by Dunmer slavers. If memory serves, part of the reason Tiber Septim settled the Armistice was to avoid a clash with the Dunmer armies, who he considered very formidable even in the event he was able to counter the Tribunal's divinity.

 

In summary, the Stormcloaks would still have to fight an Imperial insurgency, they would be greatly weakened from the Civil War, they would still face a threat from the superior Imperial Legion, and the non-Legion affiliated fighting men of High Rock, Cyrodiil, and Morrowind are still very formidable opponents not to be taken lightly. It is outside of the Stormcloaks' capability to further antagonize their neighbors, but either way their mindset would keep them more to themselves than anything else.

[LoneWolfEburg]

The Stormcloaks never say such things, to their credit, it's just an idea floated around in fandom in both pro- and anti-Stormcloak camp.

[GetTheJojDone]

 

Honestly I wouldn't see the Stormcloaks doing so, insofar as they seem to be more isolationist than jingoistic

 

 

I'm pretty sure Ulfric and/or Galmar explicitly say they plan to cleave through Cyrodiil to fight the Dominion.

[117649AR]

 

 

Honestly I wouldn't see the Stormcloaks doing so, insofar as they seem to be more isolationist than jingoistic

 

 

I'm pretty sure Ulfric and/or Galmar explicitly say they plan to cleave through Cyrodiil to fight the Dominion.

 

 

In which case I suppose it's all the worse in the event of a Stormcloak victory, seeing as it's essentially leading Skyrim to suicide.

[TheVampireDante]

 

I'm pretty sure Ulfric and/or Galmar explicitly say they plan to cleave through Cyrodiil to fight the Dominion.

 

I've heard Ulfric state that they would fight the Dominion as part of his victory speech in Solitude:

 

 

Ulfric: "Then it is settled. The Jarl will continue to rule Solitude, I will garrison armies here to ward off Imperial attempts to reclaim the city. And in due time, the Moot will meet, and settle the claim to High King once and for all. There is much to do, and I need every able bodied man and woman committed to rebuilding Skyrim. A great darkness is growing, and soon we will be called to fight it, on these shores or abroad. The Aldmeri Dominion may have defeated the Empire, but it has not defeated Skyrim!"

 

- but nothing of actually striking out in a direct attack across the borders of Skyrim. In fact he seens happy enough to stay on home ground and rebuild.

 

 

There will be peace for a time, during which we must rebuild Skyrim into the land it once was. Strong. Self-reliant. The center of mankind. Because getting rid of the Empire was only half the problem. Soon, the elves will again seek to rule the world. We must ready ourselves to fight them. For it will be Skyrim that shall lead Tamriel in those dark days, when the fate of the world is finally determined."

[Lachdonin]

Yeah, there are no statements from any Stormcloaks about planned expansion out of Skyrim. The only slight indications come from.Ulfric saying that Skyrim will lead the wold against the Thalmor, and Balgruf's complaints about 'the old ways' Where he makes note of wars against others and Jarls killing each other. In general, Ulfric's drive for tradition is so inconsistent and haphazard that it's impossible to say what he would do; Turtle or try and rebuild the ancient Nord Empire. Most of his supporting Jarl's seem to indicate more of the former.

[MidbossVyers]

In the event of a Stormcloak victory, the best thing that Cyrodiil can do is ignore Skyrim for now, in terms of political and military influences, while still having trade relations (which they do via the East Empire Company because even Stormcloaks love "aged Breton cheese") when necessary. They really can't afford to use more resources. Ulfric's main claim for independence is that the Empire has kowtowed to the Dominion. However, should the ceasefire between the Empire and the Dominion end (if it ever does), in order to save face, the Stormcloaks will have to reinforce the Cyrodiilic forces, anyway. Of course, if the ceasefire is indefinite, then all that does is give the Stormcloaks the moral high ground to push through Cyrodiil to the Dominion.

Edited February 21, 2015 by MidbossVyers