Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-3539474-20130910213054/@comment-3539474-20130918222345

ABosmerVampLord wrote:

Harold Burned-Mane wrote:

ABosmerVampLord wrote: if i were the Thalmor, I would go with the following plan:

First, the invasion of high rock. The only imperial province defending that area is skyrim, and that's if Ulfric wasn't sucessful in his rebellion. Back in the Imperial city, one of the reasons the AD were defeated was because they were SERIOUSLY outflanked: Hammerfell from the west, Skyrim from the north and the Legion basically everywhere. However, an invasion force in high rock won't be so easily flanked.

When the Bretons and Imperials (and possibly Nords) mustered enough force and sent them confront the AD, the Thalmor will attack southern Cyrodill from Elyswer. Bam. From here, the Imperials will be at a dilemma; if they brush off the thalmor in high rock, Cyrodiil is in trouble, and without Hammerfell this time, they will have a MUCH harder time recapturing the Imperial City, should it be captured. If they try to support Cyrodil, they lose high rock, and the AD just got a huge lump of land and a land border to Skyrim.

However, there are a few ways this plan might not work. For example, the bretons are resistant to magic, which is the Altmer's preferred type of combat, so for an effective assault, they need to send either bosmer or khajiit. Also, this plan relies on the assumption that Hammerfell will stay on the defensive. If they decide to attack the Thalmor in High Rock, the AD forces are as good as dead. I see a few problems with that theory, to get to high rock the AD would need to pass by Hammerfell, not a good idea since it has anti-naval defences and they hate the AD. I doubt the nords would let the AD get so close to their borders they would logically send reinforcements to help drive the AD out (if they make it to High Rock).

I have another crazy theory in my head, hear me out, Dragons. Yeah Dragons, Odaviing atleast stays alive(i left Parthunax alive, so he'll become the new Dragon leader), all dragonborns are against the Thalmor so their dragon allies would be also. I think this is a big game changer, if this theory comes to fruition then the AD are screwed. AD can cross the eltheric ocean instead of going through hammerfell waters. They probably wont pursue thalmor that far. The nords weren't incorporated to my plan, true. however, even if they were to support high rock, it'll look like this:

High Rock: nords and bretons vs bosmer and khajiit

Cyrodiil: imperial vs altmer

The dragons are certainly a threat, true. If you go in skyrim. The fact is, dragon unification wouldn't happen. If it would, we would probably see it in game. This crosses out the threat from dragons outside skyrim. Either ways, it isn't a brilliant idea to invade skyrim to begin with: the blades and dragonborn is there. Before invading skyrim, they need to assassinate dragonborn and the blades, which is very possible due to the fact that AD has khajiit and bosmer.

So yeah. This plan isn't flawless, but with a few safe gambles and assumptions, it will work. In fact, if the dunmer and argonians decide that the iron is hot when the Altmers invade cyrodiil, they may join the fray as well. High Rock is heavily defended by the Legion stationed there,  and it's mostly Orc legionnaires'. The last thing the AD need is the whole angry Orcish hordes charging at them. I don't think the Empire would allow the AD to take over these smaller provinces. That would increase the Thalmor's strength. I believe the Empire would violate the WGC by attacking the Dominion at the same time they are retaking Skyrim, forcing the Thalmor to withdraw their troops out of Skyrim to fight off the Empire.