My Thoughts on the Civil War Questline

[David]

So I've just finished my playthrough of both the Imperial and Stormcloak questlines back to back. Though I feel like I have a lot more to add to the Imperial v. Stormcloak debate, I'll leave that to another thread and just focus on the quests.

Imperial Questline

• Legate Rikke is horribly under-developed. With her background story as a Nord fighting against her own country, she has the potential to steal the show of the entire quest line. Unfortunately, she's not developed whatsoever (outside of 2-3 lines of optional dialogue) and is instead a horribly boring and lifeless character opposite of the interesting, at the very least, Galmor Stone Fist.
• General Tullius clearly doesn't understand or particularly care about Skyrim's traditions, but he does take them into account when told of them and plans accordingly. Although serious, he was much more "likeable" than I had first anticipated.

Stormcloaks

• Again, like Rikke, Stone Fist is underdeveloped. The difference here is that he is an interesting character that has a unique atmosphere and voice actor about him.
• Ulfric Stormcloak is kind of a fool, and relies completely upon Galmor to accomplish anything. He has a great voice and knack for speaches, but from all indications won't be the best leader for Skyrim. He clearly seems to be in the whole ordeal for himself, having committed murder of a young "boy" who according to Elisif agreed with his stance anyways. What does it say about him when he's willing to kill someone that is on his side for the sake of a symbolic power-grab?
• Elisif, if you talk to her, really sheds insight on how horrible Ulfric can act and how he's not exactly what he proclaims to be. She explains that her husband would have likely sided with his cause, had he asked. Ulfric clearly just wanted his title and fights not for Skyrim.
• Jarl Balgruuf RECEIVES the axe of Ulfric Stormcloak, and then sends it back and indicates he's against him. Complete reversal from the Imperial line, though Ulfric is still the aggressor who attacks.
• They're obviously racist. My poor elf character was turned away and barred from entry into the Stormcloaks at first, and was sent on some ridiculous "Kill an Ice Wraith" task in literally the middle of nowhere. It really seemed like an attempt to get rid of me either by my loss of resolve or death. Not sure if this happens with Nord characters, but I don't think it was a mistake either way since the Imperials accept you right away.

​General Thoughts

• The Civil War questline, I'm sorry to say, is horribly boring. Especially when played twice back to back. Go capture this fort, go capture that fort... etc, etc. There's really no emotion or variety. How hard would it have been to showcase a family torn apart by members fighting on opposite sides, or having someone unknowingly kill a friend of the opposing faction? It's all very detached and lifeless, and if it wasn't for Ulfric's constant jabbering you wouldn't even realize it's a Civil War.
• Jarl Balgruuf's complete different role with the axe in both quest lines confused me. The stormcloak questline clearly tried to downplay the fact that Ulfric is the one who attacks Whiterun with the whole axe switch, and it really made me wonder why the developers did it.
• Jarl Balgruuf wants nothing to do with the Imperials, nor the Stormcloaks. He sends Ulfric his axe hoping for peace.

[cheekychips]

How hard would it have been to showcase a family torn apart by members fighting on opposite sides, or having someone unknowingly kill a friend of the opposing faction

I definitely agree with you, something like this would've added a ton of depth and kept me interested in the civil war storyline.

[Blake]

Although the Civil War is a huge part of the story, the actual quests felt like a last second addition. Like you said, it was all fort to fort with the occasional "intercept the messenger" or "black mail the Jarl's assistant" throw in. Actually attacking the cities is pretty fun though.Also, I thought the axe thing meant you "are serious", in this case, would attack if the moment presented itself. Still doesn't explain the axe message's different role in both play throughs.And finally, Ulfric makes a Nord character kill an Ice Wraith too. Which I'd take that over clear a fort anyday.

[David]

The axe thing demonstrates the intentions of the other leader. If they keep the axe, it means they are still at peace. If the axe is given back, it means that they are considered to be at a state of war. The message was the same in both playthroughs, it was just who SENT the axe that changed, which kind of downplayed Ulfrics role as the aggressor in the case of the Stormcloak line. Though he still says, "If he keeps the axe I will bide my time." or something like that.You're correct that the legion also gives you a task to prove yourself, but in their case they accept you into the legion before giving you the task. The Stormcloaks won't even acknowledge you as one of them until you kill the ice wraith.

[CarnivalofSoulz]

^{you know what kind of pisses me off about all this... its so hard to choose which side to go with...go with the storm cloaks and youre racist go with the imperial legion and you are a banning someones religion... so its like ugh... i went with the legion because 1. im a dark elf and 2. i figure they can beat the religion thing on their own but nonetheless its like wtf and i have no idea why this is double spacing... cant figure out how to change it back... i hate being a noob}

[Blake]

You're correct that the legion also gives you a task to prove yourself, but in their case they accept you into the legion before giving you the task. The Stormcloaks won't even acknowledge you as one of them until you kill the ice wraith.

That kind of symbolizes each sides mindset. The Legion figures if they have a potential recruit, might as well put him to good use before letting him in on anything of significant importance. While the Rebels, being mostly Nords, wanted you to prove yourself before joining them.Either way, both send you on pointless task that could of gotten you killed.

[Guest Dwarfahkiin]

My thoughts on the whole matter is that there are many factors you have to take into consideration; for example, if you're going with the storm cloaks, I mean, there is absolutley NO reason to shut down worship for talos, that's like nazi's killing jew's!!!!! Terrible!!!! So they should fight back!!!! But seriously.... You're being racist in more than just one way if you go with the stormcloaks.... Because you're being racist to both dark elves and imperials. I've been to windhelm, and I know lots of you have too. The dark elves there are treated like crap. Same with other stormcloak-controlled towns and villages. I went to dawnstar once and saw a few stormcloak veterans harassing an imperial female trader, I intervened and basically told them "F*%# OFF!!!". Although, the imperials have their rights and wrongs too, the wrongs were mentioned earlier, and another one is that they sort with the thalmor....(scowls).... Also they are rather stuck up, aren't they? But before ulfric came, skyrim was in peace, calm and quiet, as referred to by lokir, the horse thief at the start of the game who was in the carraige with you, and he got shot in the back by an imperial archer when trying to escape. I quote, " Skyrim was fine until you came around, empire was nice and lazy..."...... And they had it all under control until BAM!!!! Ulfric comes in and screws everything up!!!! So there are many cons and pros for each.....

[Tullius84]

IMO. Ulfric was no more than an agent for the evil Thalmor. They needed him so they could use the "divide and conquer" tactic. He was either stupid, an agent for the thalmor or both. The Stormcloaks should have formed an alliance with the Empire to rid the world of the thalmor. Without the other, it would have been very hard to take down the Thalmor armies. General Tullius actually starts to like the people of Skyrim and later considers it his home. He does not understand their traditions but in a sense, grows to accept them.

[Death Knight]

This is always the hardest decision for me to make in any game, ever. But i usually end up with the stormcloaks. I mean the dirty retarded red guards could drive back the altmer. Why can't the nords? sure we'll be weakened from years of civil war, but in all seriousness, I think each person, and country, should have the freedom to live how they want, as well as die. Now, Ulfric. He's a cowardly little bitch. & I'm want to murder him as well, but if i join the stormcloaks I dont think this is possible unfortanately, i like his cause to make skyrim free again from imperial rule, living in the old ways etc. but i don't like how he's power hungry, talks tough but surrenders like a coward when he has a sword pointed in his chest. He's a hypocrite for that going on about how the emperor did that. One thing i'll give him credit for, sort of, is how he killed the high king, walking in to the capital and doing that, Big Brass Balls. Stupid though since tarygg would hqve eventually agreed with ulfrics cause, proving again that ulfrics power hungry, he does have a way with words though. Galmar, now he's a true nordic badass<3

[NoRegrets]

it wasnt just hard but when you fall in love with whiterun and solitude and then have to kill off all the characters youve know and talked to,  it hurt.  i felt genuinely bad for the decision i had made. 

[NoRegrets]

heres my question. it seems like the entire questline everyone was a punk they all wanted something they didnt have and instead of fighting for it they ordered everyone around.  i can understand fighting for religion, but why not fight for something that could have  changed the war.  any fort or outpost taken could be sieged again and retaken.   why not fight for a series of ultimate items that each side held and if put together could change the course of the war for one side or the other.  i dont mind mundane quests but geez, spice it up a bit

[Death Knight]

Well, taking fortified locations is always a good strategy, you can cut off supply lines forestall advances etc. & i think they wanted the civil war questline possibly to be a  little more "realistic" than fantasy. that way you have a broader spectrum of each genre rolled into one game? You have to really look sometimes to see the effect of the civil war, but finding families or individuals dealing with the struggles the war has brought is always rewarding to the explorer.

[Dragonborn_MF]

I think that the Civil War is really stupid. Stormcloaks and Imperials should unite and fight the Thalmor. I kill every Thalmor i see. There are pros and cons for both of them. The Imperials are very controlling and force their laws and customs too harshly. The Thalmor basically controls the Empire, the White-Gold concordat was very stupid, The Empire basically said it's ok for the Thalmor to rule their Empire. General Tullius is a stuck up asshole. The Stormcloaks are racist and they want to kill or arrest anyone in thier cities who follow the Imperials. Ulfric Stormcloak is very power hungry and wants to be High King of Skyrim. personally if i had to pick, I would side with the Stormcloaks.