Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-24402683-20131012015855/@comment-74.186.125.13-20140409235645

Somebody Stole My Sweetroll wrote: It's not in the Dominion's interests to even try to conquer Black Marsh. Even assuming that they somehow succeeded, they'd have to leave all their troops there in order to keep control, never mind forcing the Argonians to do anything useful. They'll have much more luck with economic warfare.

Identify those things which the Argonian society needs or badly wants, and is not able to produce within its own borders. Metal comes to mind (try mining in a swamp!). Then launch targeted strikes at those non-Dominion nations which border Black Marsh, specifically aimed to remove their ability to produce those commodities. The Argonians must then choose whether to do without these products (which will progressively weaken them for a later invasion), or buy from the Dominion on terms which strongly favour the Thalmor.

The end result is that the Argonians are either weakened to the point where they are no longer a threat, or else forced to do whatever the Thalmor demand in order to maintain necessary trade. The Argonians really have nothing to bargain with other than their obedience, since it's doubtful that the Dominion depends on anything which is available only from Black Marsh.

Alternatively, use Argonian traitors or mercenaries to provoke Cyrodiil or Morrowind into invading the Marsh. Not a bad argument, but there's one simple problem. Black Marsh already has everything it needs. It has never depended on trade with foreigners. Usually, when an argonian is involved in economic transaction, it is as the merchandise (as in slaves of the dunmer). The argonians could be completely cut off economically from the rest of Tamriel and it would not harm them.