Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-62.255.98.169-20130504143516/@comment-90.206.164.65-20131023232516


 * VERY LONG POST*

The Falmer's 12-Step Plan for the Conquest of Skyrim

1.  Get organized - history and statistics both show that it is virtually inevitable that at some point a leader will arise who can unify most or all of the Falmer under a single banner. I personally would expect a very powerful magic-user, who also has a better-than-average sense of strategy and more intelligence than most Falmer. If he or she is seriously planning an upward invasion, they will have found some way of obtaining some level of intelligence about the surface world.

2.  Find or create a way of moving a huge number of Falmer into the ruins under Markarth, and extend the tunnels from Blackreach, connecting more of the Falmer settlements into a single network. At the same time, identify every exit to the surface, and seal all those which are not easily defensible, while retaining at least two or three possible exits in any given region. Simultaneously, send out some of the more-intelligent Falmer to plunder EVERY Dwemer ruin for anything that can be used.

3.  Invade Markarth at sunset in overwhelming force. Kill almost everybody, but allow a few to escape and spread the word. When the city is entirely under Falmer control, retreat back into the tunnels below, leaving the city gates wide open and an obvious trail leading underground.

4.  While the majority of the Falmer 'army' is encamped below Markarth, large groups of the fiercest warriors will assemble in the closest secure locations to Winterhold and Solitude, while remaining undetected.

5.  Inevitably whoever is currently in charge of Skyrim will send a large number of troops to Markarth. They will be allowed to enter and secure the city. A small group of Falmer will emerge from the closest location outside the city, moving by night and sealing the gate from the outside, either by magic or by physically blocking it. The main body of the 'army' will then surface in its entirety and slaughter the trapped surfacers.

6.  This time, the Falmer will remain above-ground and visible in Markarth, intentionally attracting attention. If they are able to find a way of communicating, they will either negotiate or enforce the assistance of the Forsworn. If this is not possible, the Forsworn will be ignored until it is convenient to hunt them down. At the same time, the Falmer group near Solitude will be tunneling into the caves below the city (Potema's crypt and the East Empire warehouse). Those near Winterhold will assemble near the base of the pillar which supports the College.

7.  The Winterhold detachment will introduce a huge number of Chaurus into the Midden tunnels, and drive them upwards into the College. If the bugs do their job well, Falmer troops will follow and complete the job of capturing and securing the College and the town, then work on a more convenient way of moving between Blackreach and the College (either tunnel directly through the sea-bed, or more realistically dig from an existing cavern out through the base of the cliffs, then build a bridge to the College's island).

If the Chaurus fail to defeat the wizards, the Falmer will retreat and their magic-users will attack the base of the natural pillar, collapsing it and destroying the College.

8.  While the surfacers are reeling from the occupation or destruction of Winterhold, the Solitude detachment will emerge during the night, sack the town and burn the docks. If Solitude can actually be captured, so much the better, but the main purpose is to cause panic and prevent a coordinated counterattack in any single region. If the Falmer have formed any kind of alliance with the Forsworn, AND manage to capture Solitude, they will not destroy the docks, but rather use them to transport large numbers of Forsworn to Dawnstar and capture or raze the town.

9.  From here on, the Falmer will continuously mount small-scale raids on random targets, aiming simply to kill as many humans and cause as much chaos as possible. Farms will be a major target. At the same time, they will be further extending their tunnels to connect with active mines, simultaneously denying these mines to the surfacers and enhancing their own ability to outmaneuver the enemy. Mines close to towns will be 'seeded' with Chaurus eggs in vast numbers, then once more be disconnected from the now-extensive tunnel network

10.  These tactics will continue until the surfacers either (A) no longer have the means to fight back effectively, at which point the invasion proper can commence, or (B) begin to mass large forces in preparation for a counterattack, in which case the Falmer will return to the 'lure-trap-and-kill' tactics used in Markarth in Step 5.

11.  Eventually, assuming the Falmer don't run out of troops, they will be in a position to occupy Skyrim and purge it of any surviving non-Falmer. At this point, assuming the Forsworn allied with the Falmer, they will be betrayed and killed as food for both Falmer and Chaurus. Neighbouring provinces will be kept busy by the simple means of driving large numbers of hungry Chaurus across their borders, on the surface (placing the Chaurus outside their comfort zone and hence making them even more vicious in response).

12.  Skyrim is now, for all practical purposes, under the complete control of the Falmer. And we did it all without eyes...