Kestrellius Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 It should be mentioned that in a vacuum, the Imperials would probably win the war. I mean, first scene of the game -- Ulfric is captured, and the war is about to end. It all would have stopped there due to Tullius's military genius, if Alduin hadn't chosen that precise moment to attack. I'd guess that the only reason it's been going on as long as it has is that the Thalmor are covertly aiding the Stormcloaks. They just have to be careful, because while a Stormcloak victory would certainly be better for them than an Imperial one, the war continuing indefinitely is preferable to either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetTheJojDone Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 (edited) Bethesda has been rather Anti-Imperial since Daggerfall. Back then, they were the ineffectual administration more concerned with indiscrete love-letters than a nearing Civil War. In Morrowind they were the colonial outsiders trying to force their laws and gods on the Dunmer. In Oblivion they were Tue petty politically minded, bickering children who couldn't get their act together in the middle of an invasion... The portrayal of the Empire in Skyrim is actually one of the more flattering ones. Yeah, it's kinda disappointing to see Bethesda perpetuating the negative portrayal of empires that's so prevalent in western media. Seriously, as far as I can tell, it all stems from the Crusaders' jealousy towards the Byzantine Empire - there's a quote about it out there somewhere. I'll have to look it up. EDIT - Here's the one I was thinking of: Ever since our rough crusading forefathers first saw Constantinople and met, to their contemptuous disgust, a society where everyone read and wrote, ate food with forks and preferred diplomacy to war, it has been fashionable to pass the Byzantines by with scorn and to use their name as synonymous with decadence. Edited September 21, 2014 by GetTheJojDone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidbossVyers Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 It should be mentioned that in a vacuum, the Imperials would probably win the war. I mean, first scene of the game -- Ulfric is captured, and the war is about to end. It all would have stopped there due to Tullius's military genius, if Alduin hadn't chosen that precise moment to attack. I'd guess that the only reason it's been going on as long as it has is that the Thalmor are covertly aiding the Stormcloaks. They just have to be careful, because while a Stormcloak victory would certainly be better for them than an Imperial one, the war continuing indefinitely is preferable to either.Why do people refuse to see that a Stormcloak victory results in the execution of every named Thalmor in Skyrim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kradus Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 (edited) It should be mentioned that in a vacuum, the Imperials would probably win the war. I mean, first scene of the game -- Ulfric is captured, and the war is about to end. It all would have stopped there due to Tullius's military genius, if Alduin hadn't chosen that precise moment to attack. I'd guess that the only reason it's been going on as long as it has is that the Thalmor are covertly aiding the Stormcloaks. They just have to be careful, because while a Stormcloak victory would certainly be better for them than an Imperial one, the war continuing indefinitely is preferable to either.Why do people refuse to see that a Stormcloak victory results in the execution of every named Thalmor in Skyrim? Tell it to Elenwen. Why is that even relevant when in an imperial victory you get to continuosly slaughter scores of them on the roads? Edited September 21, 2014 by kradus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolfEburg Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 all the men in the Battle-Born family are at least one of the following: pasty, skinny, or have a funny nose.To be fair, Ulfric's got quite a nose himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidbossVyers Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 It should be mentioned that in a vacuum, the Imperials would probably win the war. I mean, first scene of the game -- Ulfric is captured, and the war is about to end. It all would have stopped there due to Tullius's military genius, if Alduin hadn't chosen that precise moment to attack. I'd guess that the only reason it's been going on as long as it has is that the Thalmor are covertly aiding the Stormcloaks. They just have to be careful, because while a Stormcloak victory would certainly be better for them than an Imperial one, the war continuing indefinitely is preferable to either.Why do people refuse to see that a Stormcloak victory results in the execution of every named Thalmor in Skyrim? Tell it to Elenwen. Why is that even relevant when in an imperial victory you get to continuosly slaughter scores of them on the roads? Because that's technically a criminal action. It just doesn't look like that as the Tamrielic government is ridiculously easy to bribe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachdonin Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 (edited) Because that's technically a criminal action. It just doesn't look like that as the Tamrielic government is ridiculously easy to bribe. So is using a Shout in a Duel... Yeah, it's kinda disappointing to see Bethesda perpetuating the negative portrayal of empires that's so prevalent in western media. Seriously, as far as I can tell, it all stems from the Crusaders' jealousy towards the Byzantine Empire - there's a quote about it out there somewhere. I'll have to look it up. I actually took a course specifically dedicated to Empires, and was rather surprised to learn that, for the most part, violence is the least common method of expansion and control used. I also managed to out-argue my professor about whether or not an inequality of power was an essential characteristic of Empires (formulating a proper definition requires the expression of ONLY the essential characteristics, so that your definition describe your concept, but nothing else, while at the same time encompassing everything which can be considered your concept)... Empires are surprisingly complex institutions that do not deserve the rampant ire and media-hate which perpetuates western culture. all the men in the Battle-Born family are at least one of the following: pasty, skinny, or have a funny nose.To be fair, Ulfric's got quite a nose himself. Really though, is there anyone in Skyrim whose nose isn't either massive, or deformed in some way? I remember being rather aghast at the noses during character creation when i first started the game up on November 12th 2011 (the 11th is a holiday in Canada). Edited September 21, 2014 by Lachdonin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kradus Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 (edited) Because that's technically a criminal action. It just doesn't look like that as the Tamrielic government is ridiculously easy to bribe. So is using a Shout in a Duel... That's more of a blasphemy than a crime. Because that's technically a criminal action. It just doesn't look like that as the Tamrielic government is ridiculously easy to bribe. Just shoot them from stealth.They insist on being your enemy, so you do what needs doing and make sure the WTG is more taxing to them than to the empire Edited September 21, 2014 by kradus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enkephalin07 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I actually took a course specifically dedicated to Empires, and was rather surprised to learn that, for the most part, violence is the least common method of expansion and control used.That's actually the model of the Septim Empire. Tiber Septim, model of bastardry that he was, was actually a smooth diplomat and negotiator. The heaviest resistance to the Empire's expansion was due to religious differences, and this isn't the first time the Empire has had to make concessions for those. Unfortunately this Emperor didn't have the cunning to get a better deal, or to notice this one was intended to set up a later invasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kradus Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I actually took a course specifically dedicated to Empires, and was rather surprised to learn that, for the most part, violence is the least common method of expansion and control used.That's actually the model of the Septim Empire. Tiber Septim, model of bastardry that he was, was actually a smooth diplomat and negotiator. The heaviest resistance to the Empire's expansion was due to religious differences, and this isn't the first time the Empire has had to make concessions for those. Unfortunately this Emperor didn't have the options to get a better deal, or to notice this one was intended to set up a later invasion. Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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