User blog comment:Jericho Henry135119/Which side do you prefer to be on during the Skyrim Civil War?/@comment-1992639-20120414191250

Imperials. Reason?

The Stormcloak victory would be nothing more than a pyrrhic victory: a victory at the cost of being weakened so much that it is only a matter of time until the Imperials launch a second invasion. That invasion will probably be together with the Thalmor. This will not only make the Empire even more dependant on the Thalmor, it will be bad morale that weakens the Empire greatly, which in turn gives the Thalmor an opening to assimilate the Empire within the Alderi Dominion.

On top of that, it is most likely the Men of the Reach (Forsworn) will join the invasion on the side of the Imperials and Thalmor as well, to fight a two-front war against Ulfric. This will force all of Ulfric's forces to protect two borders, thus crime can rise to unpreceded levels as it goes unchecked. It will only be a matter of time until Ulfric's losses along with all Nords feeling insecure with High King Ulfric's leadership will result in the Jarls starting another civil war to remove Ulfric from his throne. In the end Skyrim would still be occupied, but instead of being under Imperial control, the Thalmor will probably govern it to make up for the Empire's failure in the first invasion. With Ulfric's treatment of other races, he won't have to count on any help from the Khajiit, Dunmer or Argonians either. Their combined numbers alone could probably launch a revolution within Windhelm when the time is ripe.

On the other hand, the sooner the war is over with the Empire winning, the sooner the Nords will rejoin the Empire and damage is contained to both sides. Only then is the Empire strong enough to have atleast some influence and say in the politics surrounding the White-Gold Concordat, by showing their competence of recapturing (and restructuring Skyrim). This also means the Thalmor cannot lay claim on Skyrim as the Empire has shown its power and perseverance in the civil war and claiming Skyrim away from the Empire would be seen as a very aggresive act. If the Thalmor appear unnescesary, more and more nations may side behind the Empire if another war occurs. Skyrim would be more open to Khajiit, Dunmer and Argonians if an Imperial-friendly circle of Jarls rule Skyrim.

Sure, the Nord culture may become lost like so many other cultures have, but it would be lost all the same if the Thalmor would strike Skyrim after a failed Imperial invasion.