Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-25343239-20150319182007/@comment-32014963-20180319082442

You think the Thalmor are stupid? Things are not going to go the most ideal way you want. The Aldmeri Dominion is the one that will benefit the most from delaying tactics.

1. Aldmeri Dominion has 2 Elf provinces. Hence they have longer life span. Slower at reproduction but also means they are more likely to have more veterans who experienced multiple Great Wars in each. Remember each war hero who survives a Great War is worth more than a soldier that is worth 100 or 1000. They can easily have entire legion of that (2000 to 15000). With longer lifespan and resources committed into magic study and the Altmer's inherent superiority in Magic... there is just no way the 60-70 years old baby Archmages in Synod and College of Whispers can match the potential legion of Archmages (2000 to 15000).

I've also mentioned that judging from the encounter with the Synod Mage in Skyrim, what J'zargo said and the hints given, the Empire 'permitted' and 'sanctioned' they are over 90% politicans pretending to be Mages because the Empire (Politicans) are controlling them. Synod is like that, then the College of Whispers who are permitted by the same Politics centric Empire can absolutely NOT be any better either. Plus are you even listening to the Synod Mage's b*tching? His goal for obtaining the artifact was more poltical than for magical purposes.

2. "Smart Leaders" using tactics... there is another vastly superior factor that will decide whose tactics is more effective: Experience. The Commanders in AD are more likely still at their prime and become General to lead the next Great War long after Tullius dies.

3. Even if travel by boat is faster, they have no reason to turn one big circle to hit Skyrim, a freezing cold and easy defend but difficult to assault place when a bigger juicier piece of meat called Cyrodiil is right at their doorstep. The comparison is not which one is quicker to get to. By sea you literately need to go through neutral territories, from land it's next door.

4. As of TES V: Skyrim, the Empire, no matter the outcome of Skyrim is leaning towards being screwed. During the Great War, the Empire's mages were ineffective in stopping the Aldmeri Dominion from taking Imperial City and they continue to be ineffective throughout the Great War. In case you didn't noticed, Hammerfell's Alik'r Warriors were the ones inflicting damage to the Aldmeri forces during the Great War, it was the Legions (Soldiers) from High Rock, Hammerfell, Skyrim and Cyrodiil that dish out heavy damage, not the Imperial Mages.