Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-206.74.175.104-20151018163917/@comment-1600847-20160225132946

Wall-o-text ahead:

First off, the Stormcloaks need to build a navy. It would take months at the least to build sufficient quality ships to make it there, especially since they would have to sail around High Rock.

If we assume that the Empire is still hostile to the Stormcloaks, their ships would risk being attacked along the entire High Rock coastline, which makes up over half the voyage to the Summerset Isles. We can also assume they'd find no friendly ports to put in for rest or resupply, so they'd have to make the entire voyage in one go. That means lots of fresh water and food will be needed too.

Once the Stormcloaks sail past the Glenumbra province in High Rock they'd now be off the coast of Hammerfell for a short period. I wouldn't expect the Redguards to be hostile towards them, they might even be able to put in for resupply and/or repairs in Helgathe or Stros M'Kai.

If their goal is to strike at the city of Alinor directly, the Stormcloaks will either need to go farther west towards Thras to avoid detection from the Altmer fleets, which would make the voyage longer and risk them being attacked by the Sload, or go closer to the Summerset coast near Lillandril which would increase the risk of being detected by the Altmer fleets.

We can also assume that a fleet transporting an army wouldn't be much good in a naval battle against ships designed for ship-to-ship combat, so if they do run into an Altmer fleet the Stormcloaks would have to flee or get sunk.

All in all if this Stormcloak fleet is to succeed, they'd need to find a way to land undetected. Maybe another fleet could attack to the east to draw the Altmer fleets away? Either way, getting to the Summerset Isles would be an expensive and extremely risky move for Ulfric. One mistake and he could lose his entire army at sea before even setting foot in Dominion lands.