Addai67 wrote...
@adneate: You're still just saying the same thing- that they had to do it- not how you're going to coordinate such a regrouping effort when the enemy's spies are everywhere. All of this presupposes that you've got Imperials who actually have the cajones to try.
It's also ironic that it was the Nords who saved the Empire, and in return they hand over a central part of Nord culture in their treaty. As Galmar says when you tell him "Nords have always been in the Empire"- "not this Empire."
It's obvious the Imperials are gearing up for another war. Both sides are. It's an uneasy peace while both are trying to regroup and prepare for the next war. It's one of the reasons why Tullius seems annoyed by the Civil War in Skyrim, he and the others know that Ulfric is ultimately a distraction for what should be preparations for the next war against the Dominion.
Also, Second Treaty of Stros M'kai.
The Redguards fought the Altmer to a standstill, who eventually retreated from Hammerfell because they couldn't hold it. It would mean fully committing and leaving themselves open. They couldn't defeat the armies of one province safely. The Dominion is in just as bad shape as the Empire.
The biggest reason the Great War went in favour of the Altmer was because they struck the Empire decisively and early. Remember, they were the aggressors, not the Empire. The Empire was also very weak at the time. Hammerfell itself was divided amongst two factions, and Morrowind was yet to recover from the volcanic eruption.
It's reminiscient of Germany's Blitzkrieg strategy in WWII.
However, if the Empire could consolidate their forces in Skyrim, the reunified Hammerfell, the mostly unaffected High Rock, bolstered (hopefully) by the Dunmer in Morrowind and Solstheim who did not get to fight could make a very powerful force. Simply put, there's more people and races in those provinces. The Thalmor of course will have agents watching, but war is imminent no matter what happens and it'd be foolish to assume that the Empire doesn't have agents within the Dominion as well.
Should Argonia stay neutral, the Empire will have more troops to throw at the Dominion than the Dominion would at the Empire. It's as simple as that. It's how they took back Cyrodiil and pushed the Dominion back. Reinforcements that the Dominion simply could not contain.
Hammerfell is largely unaffected by Thalmor spies (now) and would be the key to winning the war IMO. They have not only proven themselves able to dig in and beat the Dominion by themselves, but they are the Empire's best sailors and are the province least likely to be under Thalmor influence. Of course, Hammerfell completely split off from the Empire, but it's obvious they will come back to the fold when the Empire declares war on the Dominion.
The troops of Hammerfell and High Rock provide the Empire's offensive movement, while Cyrodiil, Skyrim and Morrowind/Solstheim provide it's defensive one. While Hammerfell (defended by Imperial Legions) and Cyrodiil become the next war's major battlefronts, fleets launching from Sentinel and Daggerfall launch a naval offensive against Alinor, striking at the Altmer capital from the flank.
Unless both of the fleets are sabotaged or their destination leaked to the Dominion, they have to break off engagements in the other provinces to defend Summerset (thereby losing momentum on the Hammerfell and Cyrodiil fronts) or give the island up to the Empire. The Empire could then press for another treaty or use Summerset as a staging ground for an invasion of Valenwood.
In terms of preparations, really, what can a few hundred Thalmor agents who are kept at arm's length really do?
At best, they spy and relay information back to the Dominion - that's their job. But they can't stop the actual war effort. I mean, it's not like they can go to the Jarls or Lords or w/e and demand that they stop training levies, or stop producing weapons.
Modifié par mrcrusty, 27 novembre 2011 - 02:06 .
Retour en haut
. Same with Hammerfell and Black Marsh.)
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. And I sure aient going to go sacrifice my life fighting elder dragons too see if they got soul gems. But hey, whatever floats your boat 
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