DrunkenMage
Intoxicated Arch-Mage
And what are those times of "True Need"? hmm? do you know? I certainly don't? They're very vague about it. Chances are Ulfric being a young soldier didn't know and likely didn't use it, hoping he could still maintain the Way of the Voice. Even now, Ulfric claims the Way of the Voice is " a Wonderful Philosophy"
Alright fine, you want to believe Ulfric didn't use the Thu'um. It was why he was captured. Well the Thalmor won't capture Ulfric next round, be easier to just kill him. Since Thu'um users can be killed, just as easily as those without the Thu'um.
Ulfric being young would mean he would be more willing to use the Thu'um. It is only when he has aged he has come to understand it should not be used lightly.
Exactly, so why are you still defending that. The Father is poking fun at a concerned, paranoid old woman worried about her son. Pretty dickish and irresponsible of him considering he represents the head of the Family
Because, the father doesn't represent everyone's feelings. Does Vignar represent the Gray-Manes when he says the Companions aren't worthy to join?
Yeah, it does. how can we have feasible evidence that they care at all. Jon doesn't mention it, Alfhild doesn't and obviously Lars doesn't. Also upon reading up on the Battle Born's Idolaf isn't actually a direct descendant, but rather an in-law. This could mean Idolaf doesn't hold the exact same pride for his family that the rest of the Battle-Borns do. That info comes from here:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Battle-Born
The family doesn't care, they decided to tell the Gray-Manes he died in battle, because they didn't care. They didn't care enough to tell them he was being tortured and he's all alone screaming for his mother, in some dark cell.
Idolaf is the main one who holds to the "pride of Battle-Born". He's very close to the Clan leader, and hates the Gray-Mane's other son.
I like the fact your source of information also states:
Olfrid refers to Idolaf as his son and the creation kit marks him as such, even though Idolaf is married to Olfrid's daughter. Idolaf is also marked as Jon's father, even though all dialogue indicates that Jon is either his brother-in-law or his brother.
And thats their problem. They will do whatever it takes to keep their Emperor's seat
They do whatever it takes to protect the Empire.
Fixed that for you
Of course you did.
Obviously they do since Colins task involved: "Their recruitment process is oftentimes a brutal one, as displayed by Inspector Colin's task to assassinate an old man. The purpose of such recruitment process was to weed out those unwilling to actually go through with murder and other usually immoral tasks."
The part of "Penitus Oculatus aren't just spies" went right above your head? There are many spies who work for the Empire, they're not all killers. The Penitus Oculatus deal with counter espionage, and assassinations.
Doesn't make it right
Killing the enemy? You keep believing the Old man is innocent, like they just selected some random harmless fellow for him to kill. If you can prove to me without a doubt he's innocent, then I'll agree it isn't right.
If you're going to bring real life events into an argument about fictitious events than I have something for you later on in my post.
This happens in espionage, be it fiction or real life. Not my fault you fail to see that.
and this proves what? That they can't kill that they can't pickup a weapon? that they can't win in a fight against Imperials. Game Data says otherwise.
What? The Aldmeri Dominion's soldiers can match the trained Legions. The Stormcloaks are fighting a Militia, Auxiliary Legions. This is telling you, at the moment the Stormcloaks stand zero chance against the armies of the Dominion until they're properly trained.
Well there you go, not only will the Stormcloaks be fighting but so will the Empire. so what are you worrying about exactly? Also may I suggest rethinking your strategy about openly attacking Valenwood and Elsweyr, That could be a HUGE problem for an already weak Empire. or did you forget about the Wild Hunt and the Giant Tiger mounts that you said would be a big problem for us?
The Stormcloaks have to train their armies, rebuild their country to be self sufficient.
Why would it be a problem? How the hell do you think Empire's in Tamriel were forged? Did they just start out very powerful? No.
The Empire has in the past attacked Valenwood and Elsweyr. The Empire is weak, so is the Aldmeri Dominion. I didn't forget about the Wind Hunt, that tends to happen when you start destroying the plant life.It also requires the Bosmer conduct a ritual, and after their ethnic cleansing and racial pruges from the Thalmor... They're not exactly going to rush to save them.
I was joking about the Tiger mounts being a problem, the Empire has fought the Khajiit before.
And barely scraped away with their lives
Yeah, it was a close call. We had like five people left.
Did you mean get two legions completely decimated in the last battle of the War due to shoddy tactics. Because that's what I heard happened.
The Legions destroyed was during the war. Not just Red Ring, and shoddy tactics? Are you serious? Titus II's tactics is what made them win. In what is now known as the Battle of the Red Ring, a battle that will serve as a model for Imperial strategists for generations to come
And two legions got completely destroyed! remember!? its all in this book you Imperial Boot Lickers claim to love so much:
Yeah two Legions. Real shame there's Nine Auxiliary Legions in Skyrim at the end of the Civil War, and probably 10-18 standard Legions in Cyrodiil.
The Empire also has thousands of Mercenaries under their employ.
While the Stormcloaks are ready and motivated to fight the Dominion while Imperial Auxiliaries complain about their armor being too heavy.
You're ready to fight the Dominion? Good luck on that.
The Imperial Auxiliaries aren't the main fighting force, if you're going to bring up them going on about their armor. Let's bring up the Stormcloaks are too busy bitching about not wanting to eat rabbit.
Aw, poor Stormcloaks. Military life too hard for you, don't like them long campaigns of eating rations.
And thats one of the advantages an Independent Skyrim has over the Empire. they won't have to worry about their Military being spread across four or three different provinces. They'll have A Unified Peoples Rebublic all defending one Fortified land separated by Snow and Mountains.
Unified Peoples Republic? Ulfric isn't making a democracy, and he only does what he wants. We will do whatever I decide is in the best interests of Skyrim. Are we clear? - Ulfric Stormcloak
Even If you win this Civil War you will still have that problem of your Military being spread across three provinces and still being weak.
How? The Imperial army is gathered in Cyrodiil, the forces in Skyrim are locally recruited. Still stronger than the Stormcloaks, all you have is a few old Legionnaires and basic trained militia.
Empire has basic trained Militia, thousands of trained soldiers and thousands of mercenaries. Even without Skyrim or High Rock, Cyrodiil will still be stronger than the Stormcloaks.
And yet, they produced some of the greatest Warriors for The Imperial Legions. Show some respect where its due, hmm?
There are still Redguards in the Legions.
Prepared To Invade Valenwood, which as you said, is obviously Not a good Idea. Can you say: "Wild Hunt?". Wouldn't it be a better Idea to use some of that Espionage as you wholeheartedly believe the Imperials do, and assassinate The Head Thalmor agents in Valenwood, rather than rushing a couple of Legions into certain Death. Do they not remember what happened to King Borgas and his Armies? Oh of course they don't, That would require extensive research into another culture's history. Something The Empire clearly doesn't practice *cough * *cough* General Tulius *cough*
Funny how it was the Empire who wrote that history, where the knowledge of that event can be found. The Empire does fund research into the history of other cultures, so your comment doesn't make sense
General Tullius understood that the Moot elected the King. He didn't understand the issue with the crown, and Tullius was sent to Skyrim at a whim.
If you're sent to a country tomorrow, are you going to be an expert of thousandyears of tradition mixed with politics and be 100% versed in it without help in only several weeks?
I'd love to see you pull that off.
You mean the same Empire that
1.) Pissed off two of its four remaining provinces after the Great War
Yeah, Hammerfell devastated itself with their five year war against the Thalmor. Skyrim is fighting itself, making themselves weaker on the brink of war with the Thalmor.
2.) Lost two Legions in the Battle of the Red Ring and the loss of the Eighth during the retreat from the Imperial City
Lost two legions over four years of fighting. Actually no, better we only lost them in Red Ring, since we obviously kicked the ass out of the Thalmor to only lose men in a single battle.
3.) Is preparing to invade Valenwood and Elsweyr, and fight in a full fledged offensive war.
Yeah you guys are screwed.
Better hope not, if Cyrodiil falls. So does all of Tamriel.
And thats all you have Hope, What do the Sons and Daughters of Skyrim have:
Grit, Determination, Rage, Guerrilla Tactics, And arguably one of the most influential, and bad ass Leaders since Faolan and Tiber Septim leading their armies. One who speaks the Dragon Tongue
and isn't afraid to use it.
Yeah, guerrilla tactics will be awesome when you invade the Aldmeri Dominion. Ulfric leading your armies? Hahahaha, I'd give you three weeks before the Aldmeri surround you, and slaughter you.
The Empire has: Thousands of soldiers and thousands of mercenaries. Some of the best training in Tamriel, and espionage agents, Imperial Rangers, The Shadow Legion etc.
Alright:
1.) The Stormcloaks don't need training to fight Elves, maybe agile Khajiit and giant Bosmer Monsters but not Elves. Its practically in their blood.
So when thousands of Nords died, with good training. That was what? One time thing?
Yeah, by all means send farmers against highly trained soldiers/Battlemages.
2.) They'll have to unite Skyrim not rebuild it, The land war didn't completely destroy the land but rather separated it.
So Ulfric is lying when he says they're going to rebuild skyrim? after all they've depended on the Empire for things for an Era. You need to rebuild your entire economy into being self sufficient.
3.) An offensive war is much, MUCH harder to fight than a defensive one. You don't know the terrain, you have to get used to your environment, and not to mention the new debilitating diseases that can be transmitted onto your soldiers, especially since you're going to be fighting in a Jungle Environment. Ever heard of the Vietnam War. How did that turn out for the U.S. Soldiers?
Who do you think mapped those areas? The Legions have all fought in those locations, and it is all part of their training. The Imperial Legion has being fighting offensive wars for thousand years. Khajiit military tactics, documented by the Legion. Bosmer fighting tactics, documented by the Legion.
The Imperial Legion isn't going to march blindly around. They have scouts, they have rangers, they've had spies in those provinces. What new diseases? The Legions have been in these areas before, they have healers.
4.) The Stormcloaks didn't "cut the empire in half" when they won the war. Skyrim was only good to the Empire in 2 ways:
Resources and Fighters
Look at a map of Tamriel. Can you play spot Cyrodiil, Skyrim and High Rock?
Now they can't get the Silver from the Reach, but like you said they don't need it, and they can't get Nords directly from Skyrim anymore as they'll be most likely ready to fight off the Dominion in a defensive war, (However that's not to say that their won't be able bodied Nords unwilling to fight for the Empire) And you still have The Orcs of Orsinium and of various Strongholds
5.) Trust me, the Stormcloaks wont miss it.
Stormcloaks aren't fighting a defensive war, Ulfric plans to take his entire army to the Aldmeri Dominion. So Rikke calls him a fool.
I don't doubt the Stormcloaks wouldn't miss the war, I doubt Ulfric's tactics. If he's taking his entire army through Pale Pass, they may all get killed.