User blog comment:Zippertrain85/"Why the Empire Should Prevail Over the Stormcloaks" refuted (part 1)/@comment-4225295-20131206210942/@comment-24355185-20131229233051

The Empire is too weak to defeat the Dominion. The Empire is currently Cyrodiil, half of Skyrim and a questionable Highrock. Cyrodiil is currently very weak, lots of towns and cities were destroyed in the Great War, and plenty of civilian and soldier deaths. That would likely cause an economic depression. Cyrodiil has little money and lots of things that need care, this is not good for recovery. We don't know how big the Legion currently is, and I'm guessing not that big by the fact that the "mighty" forth Legion, with all its training, skill, discipline and numbers, are so evenly matched with a small army, with little money or training, that both victories rely on the Dragonborn. Cyrodiil is using Skyrim's resources to aid her own recovery, like Markarth's silver mines. Cyrodiil isn't an asset to Skyrim, it's a liability.

With the Empire gone Skyrim can go into war machine mode. Training, enlarging and disciplining her armies. Mead and fish from Riften (an industrial powerhouse)  silver from Markarth and other goods from all across Skyrim can be sold to Highrock, Hammerfell and Solstheim; this will provide Skyrim's economy with an industrial boom and all money generated can be pumped into Skyrim's army and navy, as the property damage from the Civil War is minimal, unlike in Cyrodiil. The army will need better gear if they are to fight against the Thalmor, and the matierial they're most likely to use is Nordic Steel. It is better than steel plate and requires steel (iron and corundum) quicksilver and a small bit of ebony. Iron and Corundum can sourced from all across Skyrim, which could be brought to Dawnstar, which has a large quicksilver mine. These crafted into Nordic Carved gear, with the ebony coming from mines, smelted down ebony weapons from the Draugr, and trading for it from Solstheim, Highrock and Hammerfell. All the other rare minerals in Skyrim could be exchanged for more ebony. The finished pieces of Nordic Carved could be shipped to Windhelm and Solitude, as Dawnstar is a port town. This would provide employment and trade, causing a further industrial boom.

You might ask, would the Thalmor or the Empire allow this to happen? Would they strike Skyrim? Well, the Empire defiantly won't. The Empire is too weak, and they wouldn't want to throw away more men in an invasion that would most likely fail. In fact, I'd say they'd just try to please Skyrim, in case the Dominion invades them. After all, they don't seem to be that mad at Skyrim, the East Empire Company stays and trades, so you can add Cyrodiil as an indirect trading source AND the Empire will visit, even after a Stormcloaks win. There is no sign the Empire will invade, otherwise they surely would have done it to Hammerfell or Morrowind already.

Now about the Thalmor. They couldn't either. Their entire army was wiped out in the Great War (otherwise they wouldn't have wanted a peace treaty) and since elves take longer to reproduce than men they haven't recovered much since. If they were crazy enough to attempt an invasion they would have to fight all the way through Cyrodiil, since that would be seen as an invasion, and that would start the next Great War. They would have plenty of trouble getting to Skyrim too, as it's a full continent away. Once they got there they'd have to get in and take total control of Skyrim, after just fighting through all of Cyrodiil. Skyrim is a natural fortress, freezing interior and her borders are guarded by huge mountain ranges, only breaking at small choke points. These choke points would be heavily fortified and the weary and weak Thalmor army would be easily dispatched by Nordic troops. What about by sea? Well, sailing first through Redguard waters. The Redguards are excellent sailors and being far from supplies means the Dominion are already in trouble. After this they will have to continue all the way along the coast of Highrock, without docking as it would be seen as an invasion of Imperial territory. Then BAM what do they run into? The Sea of Ghosts. Oh sh*t. Navigating through icebergs, sea ghosts and finally the Nordic Navy, which would be much better equipped and closer to supplies. Remember that the Dominion have most likely been at sea for months, and the Nords are in their native land. The Nords are excellent sailors and any ships remaining could be easily picked off. A Thalmor invasion would be a suicide mission.

Now with Skyrim good and strong we'll need allies. Hammerfell is almost certain. Skyrim and Hammerfell are two nations ruled by men, are both ex-empire and both want the Thalmor gone. They are perfect matches. With Hammerfell and Skyrim in an alliance together, they will most likely be joined by Highrock.

Highrock is completely in Breton control, as Orsinium is was sacked again at the start of the 4th era and is currently being rebuilt between Hammerfell and Skyrim. Orsinium has no connections with Highrock. The Bretons are opportunistic and would join this new, strong alliance as they are already cutting from the Empire. Gen. Tullius says this himself. They would join with this new alliance, they already have close ties with Hammerfell, and trade mostly with them. They are completely isolated from Cyrodiil, and would have better trade and protection if they joined the Alliance. Highrock seeing all these benefits is certain to join the Alliance.

Highrock, Hammerfell and Skyrim would continue to strengthen their amries, and boost their economies through trade. Now they just wait until the Dominoin invade Cyrodiil. As they are waiting they are getting stronger and stronger. (Note the rest of this is speculation) As the Dominion strikes Cyrodiil the Alliance's armies will rush in and bulldoze the Dominion. Now they restore order in Cyrodiil, are joined by the Legion. They could most likely support a rebellion in Valenwood, as the Bosmer hate the Thalmor. Alinor is now pretty isolated, with little or no armies. The Khajiit would most likely see that the Dominion was over, and join the Alliance, or be invaded. Now Alinor is isolated, and friendless. We know that many Altmer don't support the Dominion and a secret messenger of Bretons and Imperial silver tongues could sneak into Alinor in advance and find out what the situation was, and cause a rebellion, to distract the Thalmor, while the Nords, Redguards, Bretons, Imperials, Bosmer and possibly Khajiit launch a full scale invasion. The Thalmor would be overthrown, and the good-guy Altmer would be ruling. The Bosmer and the Khajiit would go back to their isolationist ways. The Imperials could rebuild Cyrodiil, with help from the other Alliance, and then join it, and it would be Skyrim, Hammerfell, Highrock and a new Cyrodiil. In the long run it is also good for the Imperials. Everyone's happy (except the Thalmor)