Hammerfell won the war with the Thalmor. I know it makes you mad because it proves that the Empire should have continue the fight instead of giving up like the pussies they are, but hey what can you do, right.
Doesn't make me anything. Saying Hammerfell won the war with the Aldmeri Dominion is akin to watching a Football match with neither side scoring going on to say "This team won!"
They were in good enough shape to continue sending Skyrim all the gold, food and stuff they needed.
Chests of gold sent to the Jarls at a time we don't even know when, doesn't make them in good enough shape. It would have been years before Skyrim saw anything returning to them.
If Cyrodiil was in such bad shape you'd think they'll concentrate the Empire's resources on it, not immediately sending tons of relieve to Skyrim.
They were concentrating on Cyrodiil? Cyrodiil was in chaos many years following the end of the war, enough that people fled to Skyrim for better lives.
Show me your quotes of them immediately sending "tons of relieve" to Skyrim? One of the largest complaints from Nords is that the Empire is taking too much from Skyrim.
At this point it's safe to assume the Empire's account on their loses and the condition it was in was greatly overestimated which was big part of the reason the Emperor lost his spine.
"The Imperial Province is ravaged by strife. Nowhere there is safe, at present." - Cicero
Cheydinhal has erupted into violence and chaos, like so many other cities before it. - Cicero's Journal
"I guess down in Cyrodiil people have other things to worry about." - Hadvar
"It got bad back in Cyrodiil. The war with the Thalmor ruined... everything. I came to Skyrim looking for a better life." - Camilla Valerius
"I escaped fighting in Cyrodiil only to have it track me down again in Skyrim." - Valga Vinicia
More so, the strength and capabilities of the Dominion were overestimated too. Which would explain why they agreed to the peace in the first place and why Hammerfell kicked their ass, they were in a bad shape too. The problem is of course, they got the best possible deal while the Empire got the short end of the stick because they are pussies.
Redguards were fighting against those occupying their lands, they led a resistance. The Thalmor only wanted parts of Hammerfell, obviously when it becomes too costly or it is too devastated both sides agreed to a ceasefire.
Though according to one Redguard the resistance is apparenting still ongoing, so maybe their "victory" isn't all it is cracked up to be.
The Dominion were weak, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the Empire was in no position to continue fighting, the Dominion were able to. The Empire threw everything it had at the Battle of the Red Ring.
None of this really matters if the Empire had won the war.
Of course it matters. What part of stalemate isn't winning don't you understand? Pushing back the Thalmor only to ruin yourself and not recover wouldn't be victory, now would it?
Plus, the resources were going back and forth, not in only one direction. All the Jarls under Empire rule, all they talk about is how good Cyrodiil gold is.
The resources are going back and forth, now.
No they don't. In fact, Solitude is complaining that the Empire is using too much of their resources. Show me "all" the Jarls under Empire rule constantly talk about how good Cyrodiil gold is?
You talk about the problems during the Civil War, as if Skyrim would be having a civil war in the first place if the Empire had won the war and Talos wasn't banned. The reason bandits are running up and down Skyrim is because of the Civil War, which is only happening because of the Emperor giving up in the war.
I'm talking about the side effects of the Civil War, not the war itself. These problems we're seeing would be present during the hard times and where soldiers are in decline. Look at Cyrodiil, they had various cities erupting into violence due to lack of Imperial authority.
You're saying "There won't be a Civil War, so any problems relating more to the lack of resources, and protection wouldn't be there even though there would be extreme lack of resources and less protection."
Just because there isn't a war over Talos, don't think problems suddenly vanish
Living in fear? Oh, you mean like now? That any moment a Thalmor agent can come knocking on your door and drag you to the torture room? Morale and support would be strong for the obvious reasons, but I guess I'd have to spell it out for you:
Thalmor Justiciars are the least of concerns for most folk in Skyrim. Given that Thalmor Agents could come knocking on your door and drag you away to hidden Thalmor nests for the last hundred or more years. People live more in fear of the violence and chaos.
Morale and support would be strong. No it wouldn't, if you take too much you'll have a revolt on your hands.
Ending in a draw.*
2) Talos not being banned
Great for Talos.
3) Skyrim not having a civil war
No, just having to pay for the continuation of war without Cyrodiil. Falling apart from the strain, people starving, taxes increasing, citizens revolt against their own Jarls. We've seen it all before.
4) The Empire and the Emperor being lauded as the ultimate saviors of mankind
The Empire which is unable to reach beyond Cyrodiil, starts demanding more and more from the provinces. These provinces who so love the Empire, will ruin themselves for the saviors without question. Cyrodiil remains erupting into violence, with less manpower and even more problems on their hands the Imperial Legion struggles to bring order and even if they manage to restore order in time... The Dominion are lining their borders for the next war.
5) Not having Thalmor agents dragging people to the torture rooms
That would still go on, just you're living in the illusion of it isn't them. Back when people would go missing or killed "probably bandits, or wild animals".
Yes, by cowards, traitors and collaborators.
Sounds like the Stormcloaks.
Also notice how most of the Empire supporters really only care about the economic benefit they are having because of the Empire. The Jarls want the Empire gold, and families like the Battle-Borns only care about the gold too.
Economic benefit is good, but that isn't "most" of their supporters who go on about that.
Though Winterhold does plan to rebuild the city under the Empire, the Stormcloaks up there have no plans and just blame the Mages for the cold.
Dawnstar is looking amazing under the Empire, a great Jarl who cares for her people first. While the Stormcloak regime there looks to the civilians as human shields.
Riften is about the same no matter what side, Markarth is the same.
Falkreath is probably your only great negative against the Imperials, but at least the Jarl there has a great steward.
Windhelm is looking great under the Imperials, the Dunmer and Argonians are looking hopeful for the future.
Doesn't really matter, the point is that now Hammerfell is out and even more so, they hate the Empire. None of the WGC is a net benefit for the Empire, it's all about their downfall. Also Hamerfell isn't devastated, only the southern coastline is.
Southern Hammerfell was devastated, ten years of warfare in that country would have wider devastation besides the mere coastline.
So the South was only devastated, great because the North is desert.
It doesn't when the Thalmor now have way more information about what the Empire is doing.
How do they have "way more" information?
Before the war they thought the Empire is in a way better shape, be that because they had bad agents or whatever doesn't matter.
The Thalmor were infiltrating a lot of things in the Empire to gain information, they were being countered against by the Penitus Oculatus' agents.
Now they know everything, simply because they pretty much run the place.
No they do not. The Thalmor have no more access than before the Great War. A bunch of treaty enforcers can't do whatever they want, "officially" they still have to answer to orders by the Legion about prisoners.
Their agents are everywhere, in every city, doing what they want.
Exactly what they've been doing for over a hundred years, 191 years if we count Ocato's death.
The Empire has Legions on their border? Good, now the Thalmor know exactly how to outmaneuver them.
How would they do that? Empire has Legions on their border, and throughout locations in Cyrodiil. Dominion only did well in the First War by attacking out of hidden camps against small unprepared border defences.
Legion on the alert, gathered in strength and most likely fortifications they've built.
God, the Emperor can't be dumber even if he tried.
Could be like Ulfric, manages to get captured in his own Hold.
And how in the hell would it be an easier invasion if the Dominion was utterly crushed in the war? They were probably in worse shape than the Empire, you only assume they were in a better shape to make the spineless decision made by the Emperor and the WGC look good while in fact was probably the worst thing he ever did.
The Dominion wouldn't be utterly crushed in the war, you're after a treaty where they simply return back to their own lands. Theywere in better shape than the Empire, their lands weren't devastated by open conflict and there is no indication of them facing any of the problems the Empire did after the war.
It would be easier to invade the Empire if they weren't able to restore order. They'd have more problems, less resources and manpower to fix them. It would take even longer for them to achieve stability if they could even do that, while the Dominion are simply lining their borders again.
If the Empire was barely able to restore order after five years of warfare, how would they be able to after more years? The more strain you put on the provinces to try stabilize the more risk you run of them revolting against you to save themselves from collapsing.
You're simply saying without the Talos Ban that things would be okay, majority of the problems that occured within the Empire post-Great War have nothing to do with the ban or the White-Gold Concordat.
One rebellion in Skyrim twenty six years later isn't too bad, even if Skyrim was lost Cyrodiil is mostly recovered from the Great War.