Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-30011802-20170217032502/@comment-31436340-20170330065641

Blademaster Jauffre wrote:

Skyrim becoming poor has nothing to do with the Empire, if you actually paid attention, it was the Empire which gave chests of gold to the Jarls of Skyrim after the Great War. The Empire doesn't grab Skyrim's money, Skyrim has its own coffers.

Judging on the information that they have, it's very limited to spy-work and more common sense than anything. Name anything in either of the 3 dossiers that would imply that there are more spies needed in Skyrim. They have records on 3 people, Ulfric, who Elenwen herself was master to, Delphine, whose records are mainly from the Great War itself and Esbern, whose info they obtained through Gissur.

Those patrols march through all of Skyrim, they are more than enough to write down what's going on in a Hold and how it's faring. Skyrim becoming poor under the Empire's rule is a fact. If you actually paid attention, the Empire had to give the chests of gold to the Jarls after the Great War was to bribe and appease the Jarls. Oh you only want to take credit for everything good that happens and wash your hands when it isn't? That is not how it works if you wish to be the overlord to the Provinces. You take responsibilities because until the Civil War broke out and got replaced by the Stormcloaks, all those Jarls are the Empire's responsibilities as the leader. Being irresponsible and say it is not the Empire's fault when the going gets tough is just a surefire way to be the most unworthy leader deserving to be toppled by their underlings.

If the Empire is worth anything as the leader of the provinces it will jolly well suck it up and take the responsibilities that it should or don't talk much to Skyrim and get lost.

Tactical thinking. I am pretty sure being one who went through official military training in OCS I know tactics and strategy way better than a nerd who has never even killed someone in a battlefield before.

I didn't say specific battles will be fought solely, I said which one to invade, to conquer. Also, making all your enemy gather at one spot has its advantages too shows a complete lack of tactical thinking that you think you possess. Sending another force to the North to keep the northern provinces tied down also draw your forces away, not to mention the Aldmeri Dominion will need to move over a much greater distance to send an attack force to High Rock (because your suggestion is extremely stupid to attack Skyrim when there's a chance to expose your back to the Empire supporters in High Rock and end up trapped in a pincer attack)

Going North to hit Skyrim and Cyrodiil has disadvantages to the Aldmeri Dominion. When you have to transport troops and resources over a larger distance, not only you waste more resources just to get to your target, it also greatly increases the chances of being spotted and thus creating the opportunity for the Empire to discover your intentions, prepare against him.

As for gathering troops in one spot. Their situation, speed is better. Right now the Empire is divided, the Imperial Legion had expended a small force to the North to fight a war which weakens the Northern reinforcements. The Dominion just needs to hit the Empire immediately after the Civil War ends and half of the reinforcements (High Rock+Skyrim) will be just exhausted troops who had just finished fighting a war and travelled all the way down to south by the time they meet the Aldmeri troops which for all they know, already destroyed the Imperial Legion at the borders and laying siege to Leyawiin or Bravil.

Spies: If soldiers in Uniforms can gather all the information you need, there won't be a need for spies. You're wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong and wrong again.

I am not obliged to enlighten your lack of understanding therefore I will only state one thing. Even as allies, they won't share every secrets with each other. For their situation the moment the Thalmor took Valenwood from the Empire, the need for spies had greatly increased as the amount of secrets the Empire and Aldmeri Dominion don't want the other to learn increases.

It continues to increases at a doubling rate until there will only one way, to use spies. Perhaps 4E 20s they only need 3 ~ 6 spies in each Provinces, but now, they'll need at least an agency for their needs. It is a fact. Uniform soldiers can't do as they please. They need spies.

If I were the Thalmor, I'll use Alfiq and Alfiq Rahts to spy on the Empire.