Stemro Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 (edited) Hi everyone, So like many people, I am trying to pick a side in the Civil War questline.I was almost going to go with the Stormcloaks, but then I found out that during the Stormcloaks questline there is a quest called "Battle for Whiterun" where the Stormcloaks attack Whiterun in order to conquer it. What I don't get is the reason for that attack. I really like Jarl Balgruuf, and he told me personally that he doesn't want to take a side in the Civil War. So I'm asking, what is the reason for the Stormcloaks's attack on Whiterun? How does conquering that city help them? In what way is Jarl Balgruuf's neutral stance in the conflict a problem for the Stormcloaks? Edited October 4, 2012 by Stemro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshenaleros Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Well, to answer this question, I'd like you to take a look at the map of skyrim for a moment. Whiterun is smack dab in the middle, and this provides several advantages; It's a launching point for further campaigns in the direction of the west, it has the best access to supplies from Cyrodiil, so taking it cuts off the imperials just that little bit more, it means he can put a new Jarl on the Dragonsreach throne that's actually loyal to him, And I'm sure there's other things that are tacitcally advantageous that I haven't considered yet. The point is is that, strategically, Whiterun is one of the most important holds in Skyrim. Either side would be idiots not to try and take it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stemro Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 (edited) The point is is that, strategically, Whiterun is one of the most important holds in Skyrim. Either side would be idiots not to try and take itSo I guess the Imperials are idiots for not trying to take Whiterun. Anyway, thanks for the explanation, it makes sense..But I'm still not sure which side I should choose, but I guess Skyrim has so many other things to do that I can continue putting off choosing a side forever. Anyway, if anyone else has an explanation I'd like to hear it to. Edited October 4, 2012 by Stemro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsharaMeradin Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Well the Imperials don't try to take Whiterun because they get Balgruff to come around to their way of thinking. Mainly after a certain quest for the player to go see Ulfric who basically says if they aren't for him then they are against him. While the Imperials realize that if they aren't with Ulfric then at least they aren't against them. Now I wish the battle could go either way depending upon how it fared, but if you follow Imperials no matter if you fail any part of the "protect quest" the Imperials will win. Same is true of the Stormcloaks if you follow them, their battles will always be won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stemro Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Now I wish the battle could go either way depending upon how it fared, but if you follow Imperials no matter if you fail any part of the "protect quest" the Imperials will win. Same is true of the Stormcloaks if you follow them, their battles will always be won.Well if it wasn't like that I'd probably go with the Stormcloaks and purposefully fail in the Battle of Whiterun.It's kinda funny that you mention that because just today I was playing the quest that gets you into the Thieves Guild in Riften ("A Chance Arrangement") and I failed that quest on purpose because if you succeed an innocent person (Brand-Shei) goes to jail (but you can still get into the Thieves Guild even if you fail). But I guess the Bethesda developers didn't think of doing that or didn't bother to do it in the Civil War quests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonslayer2k12 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I really can't stand the civil war part of the story. I would rather chop off thalmor heads all day lol. There should be a war between the nords and the thalmor, a really big war that lasts a long time and starts with a meeting at hrothgar but the imperials and ulfric agree to fight the thalmor and in return for that cooperation from the empire, the nords have to hold the line against the thalmor while the empire rebuilds their forces talkin bout several years not just months or weeks kind of hold the line. So all through the later part of the game you could just go kill thalmor and not be attacked for it by city guards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFBryan18 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 The answer to your question is in the dialogue when you deliver the axe. Either side you pick, he sides with the Empire because he doesn't like Ulfric. It's that simple, though the Imperial side of the story makes much less sense since Balgruuf wants you to take an axe to Ulfric. The story seems more realistic when Ulfric is the aggressor and delivers the axe to Whiterun. I think Balgruufs role in the Imperial story is just retarded since he pretty much asks Ulfric to attack his city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnkhAscendant Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I really can't stand the civil war part of the story. I would rather chop off thalmor heads all day lol. There should be a war between the nords and the thalmor, a really big war that lasts a long time and starts with a meeting at hrothgar but the imperials and ulfric agree to fight the thalmor and in return for that cooperation from the empire, the nords have to hold the line against the thalmor while the empire rebuilds their forces talkin bout several years not just months or weeks kind of hold the line. So all through the later part of the game you could just go kill thalmor and not be attacked for it by city guards. I just have to say that the Nords "holding the line" against the Thalmor is really not feasible, since the only way you could possibly be further away from the Summerset Isle while still being in Tamriel is if you went back to Morrowind. XD I suppose they can hold the line if the Thalmor feel like circling the globe and attacking from the north. (But I agree, civil war is annoying and contrived. I decided to ignore it altogether.) I think Balgruufs role in the Imperial story is just retarded since he pretty much asks Ulfric to attack his city. Maybe delivering the axe was his prefered method of just telling Ulfric "hey, I've made my decision, and it's not you, you jerk"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraquar Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Balgruuf was derelict in his duties IMO. This is a Jarl of one of the most strategic holds in Skyrim and instead he watches as his hold gets demolished - and the only reason it does is because he would rather sit on the fence. By the time he makes a decision (and the only reason he does is because he's forced to) there is absolutely nothing he can do to defend his city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sajuukkhar9000 Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Balgruuf was derelict in his duties IMO. This is a Jarl of one of the most strategic holds in Skyrim and instead he watches as his hold gets demolished - and the only reason it does is because he would rather sit on the fence. By the time he makes a decision (and the only reason he does is because he's forced to) there is absolutely nothing he can do to defend his city.What part of his hold gets "demolished" exactly? I know Helgen does, but that was caused by a Dragon, and that one watchtower does, by another dragons, I cant think of a single thing, non-dragon related, that shows he is weak in his duties, or that anything he owns gets destroyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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