Do you prefer Imperial or Stormcloak? Why?

[Limdood]

So I searched for this topic first, and the result is 5 months old and devolved into some pretty petty fighting. Hopefully this one will stay more civil?

I'm curious how people view generally needing to side with one or the other.

I'll preface my view by saying that I firmly believe both factions are "in the wrong".....this is classic GOOD sandbox story writing....make all the sides flawed and the player is left realizing they need to ally with an evil to accomplish a good

I'm definitely generally in favor of the Imperials...they seem to have the best chance to resist the Thalmor (Cyrodiil and Skyrim together rather than both separately) second war that is obviously coming.

First off, Both sides definitely hate the Thalmor. Officially, the Empire's POV is that they would have been completely destroyed if they hadn't signed the White-Gold Concordat and banned Talos worship. Clearly the Thalmor weren't 100% sure, or didn't think they'd be able to weather the consequences of destroying the empire, so they were able to force a treaty hugely favorable to them. In keeping with their reputation as master manipulators, they expertly forced concessions into the treaty that fractured the relations of the remaining 3 members of the empire. Hammerfell split off due to being upset their land was given away, and Skyrim is bitter that their faith is undermined, and the Thalmor are expertly using the Imperials as the FACE of that religious oppression. It's very clear that the empire has no problem with talos worship, but this was forced on them in order to avoid destruction.

Now, that doesn't exonerate the empire...they're still enforcing their will on a different state to preserve their own hides, and they have plenty of atrocities under their belt in the past, but with the Thalmor poised as the major threat, a united Skyrim/Cyrodiil, while still at a likely disadvantage against the Thalmor, almost certainly stands a better chance than those two nations divided and unfriendly.

Additionally, It's really hard for me to get over the blatant hostile racism of the Skyrim nords (evidenced not only on the small scale, by events like the dark elf when first entering Windhelm, but on the large scale too, shown by talking with shopkeepers if the stormcloaks take whiterun (all the non-nord shopkeepers are getting boycotted) and the pre-game-era driving of most of the elves out of the college of Winterhold). It strongly smacks of mirroring the Thalmor's own beliefs and actions, just with less severity.

[wawawiwa]

the one with cool armor obviously duh..

stormcloak, because its only way i can snatch tulius armor

[StuckInWashingMachine]

neither, both factions are idiots.
Ulfric is fighting an unwinnable war that will only start another unwinnable war.
and the Empire should honestly just forget about Skyrim.

[Skumboni]

Only have to look at the racial divide in Ulfric's capital to make up your mind.

[Wolfsun]

I liken the Stormcloaks to a bunch of redneck a'holes (I kind'a like rednecks - pretty down to earth folk) but Ulfrik (what a prick) - the stupid rednecks had to go and rally around him.

Imperials - a bunch of holier than thou arrogant diks.

Who to back? Who to back.?

Eventually I made my decision. I harkened back to the words of some European general back around 700 AD or so who had just stomped a mudhole in the arse of a muslim army at Tours I believe. The French army (I think it was the French - probably called them selves Franks or somethin' back then) had captured a whole slew of the defeated army. An aid came to the general and asked him what he wanted done with the prisoners.

Well that general <hand to hairy chin> thought about it a bit. Too many to keep and feed; couldn't let 'em go. He pondered a bit and turned to the aid and said something like this:

Screw 'em! Kill 'em all and let GOD! sort 'em out.

Which is how I handle the Stormcloaks and Imperials when ever I and my faithful companions run into 'em. Fire Bolts, arrows flyin; Greatswords cleavin', war axes hackin' until there's nothin' left but bloody corpses lying in pieces on the ground.

I always walk away thinkin, "good luck, God, sortin' that mess out" and move on to the next encounter.

In other words: I don't back either the Stormcloaks or the Imperials.

[Gun Slinger]

Stormcloak of course, much better looking females. Go on top that. Whats a better reason? Come on I DARE you to show me a better looking female.

[MortVent]

Depends on the playthrough...

Some swing imperial due to belief in laws, etc
Others go stormcloak

One I found to be a good reason to go stormcloak was an evil playthrough. By creating a situation where the nords and the empire were at odds.. weakened both and caused more death and chaos. Not to mention it made the killing of the emperor feel far more satisfying as it escalated the chaos to new levels.

[ĿIFE oƒ ƤIE]

"I went with the "F*** both the main factions" faction."

"I am the Dragonborn, I can master all weapons, manifest any spell, and killed the god of time."

"They should only be worried about what I do next."

[theyangman0]

I've never really preferred either. I've always kind of had an equal divide of characters who've joined both the Legion or the Stormcloaks. The Stormcloaks are more fiery and honest. The war is more than just about fighting the Empire, it's about bringing the fight back to the Dominion. Talk to the Stormcloak generals, or finish the Stormcloaks' side of the war and it's clear that independence is only their first step. They do not try to maintain a facade of friendly relations with people they despise (which, unfortunately, includes their perception of other races). If my characters are the type to want to take the fight to the Thalmor now rather than later, they generally side with the Stormcloaks.

Another reasons I would support the Stormcloaks is also due to respect for wanting to maintain or restore tradition. There's a rare book you can read in Skyrim called "Skyrim's Rule" that outright reveals the Moot that decides the next High King as nothing more than formality as the High King has always been the Jarl of Solitude, due to the city being the most Imperialized, basically only giving the Nords the illusion of control. Whatever your thoughts on Ulfrics himself, a Stormcloak victory would essentially signify that the Nord Jarls will once again be able to choose a High King amongst themselves, instead of just conceding the position of authority to the Empire's Jarl (aka Solitude).

The Imperials are more disciplined yet cautious. They feel that a war with the Dominion right now would be too heavy of a cost to justify. It's clear that the Empire would rather use a temporary peace to recover what resources they can and to refill their ranks, seeing as how the civil war is becoming more of a war between Nords more than a war between the Empire and Skyrim. The Legion commanders tell you themselves that they've begun recruiting locally in Skyrim due to how thin their ranks are. If a war were to break out in the future between the Empire and Dominion without Skyrim, who knows if the Empire will survive the second clash. So you can definitely understand why the Empire would want to maintain its hold over Skyrim, given the value of its Nord population as another source for recruitment. If my characters are the type to seek a long-term victory rather than a costly short-term one, they will usually side with the Legion (and even then, they'll wage their own one-man war on the Thalmor separately).

[theo]

Empire because I'm not 14 years old and I know the lore. Skyrim always was part of the Empire, it's not a separate state suddenly invaded by the imperials for this freedom rhetoric to make any sense

[Wizard]

The Empire's callous attitude towards your beheading despite not being on the list illustrates how little they value they lives of the people of Skyrim. I side with the Stormcloaks.

[s.turner3030]

Originally posted by Skumboni:

Only have to look at the racial divide in Ulfric's capital to make up your mind.

Yep, unless you are a nord, there is a 100% reason not to join the stormcloaks their rampant racism, after all why would anybody of any other race, want to help such bigots, who make it plain they want you either out of skyrim or dead, and they are not too bothered which, well if that is the way they feel, well they can damn well die themselves, when the empire eventually gets fed up with them and marches another couple of legions into the place, and butchers the lot of them.

[SGT. D]

I'm just a simple Redguard trying to make my way in the realm.

I sell my sword to who ever is paying. I'll steal what needs to be stolen or kill whoever needs to be killed, but I don't do it for free. Payment can be rendered willingly or looted from a corpse.

I tend not to choose sides in the civil war, neither side appeals to me. Racist or corrupt?

[Looney]

Originally posted by theo:

Empire because I'm not 14 years old and I know the lore. Skyrim always was part of the Empire, it's not a separate state suddenly invaded by the imperials for this freedom rhetoric to make any sense

Maybe if empire kept thalmor away from skyrim they would be worth staying with. Pathetic weak empire that cant even keep its citizens safe from outside intruders? Who needs it?

[Qua2ar]

Stormcloak, because I am a true son of skyrim.

[Limdood]

Originally posted by Looney:

Maybe if empire kept thalmor away from skyrim they would be worth staying with. Pathetic weak empire that cant even keep its citizens safe from outside intruders? Who needs it?

Uhh, the Nords of Skyrim fought alongside the Empire against the Thalmor in Cyrodiil. If there's blame about the failure to keep the Thalmor out of Skyrim, the Nords of Skyrim share that blame.