User blog comment:Harold Burned-Mane/Answering some criticism against the Stormcloaks/@comment-1600847-20130924201234/@comment-1600847-20130924215751

I've seen both Imperials and Stormcloaks use the following: one-handed weapon alone, one-handed weapon+shield or two handed weapon. I've seen Legionnaires using claymores but true, they do mostly use sword+shield. As the Legion has been using to great effect for the past several hundred years.

Half of the Legionnaires in Skyrim are Nords, not just the civilians support them. Like I said, the Legion's always been in Skyrim. The terrain is no mystery to them.