Has no one else noticed this?

If you use the tool MFG console, you can actually find out the race of NPCs by clicking on them. I checked on all the Imperial soldiers I came across and turns out they're all Nords. Nord soldiers. Nord soldiers fighting against the Nord Stormcloaks...

Now, I'm not sure about lore here, but shouldn't the Imperial soldiers in Skyrim be...y'know, Imperials?

Of course it does make some sense. I guess some local Nords can get recruited into the Legion, one good example being Rikke. But the majority of the Imperial Legion being Nords? Was this intentional on Bethesda's part and if so, why is that so?

I don't know what this "MFG" tool is but I just looked at "Imperial Soldier" in the Creation Kit. I count 2 Bretons, 2 Redguards, 19 Nords and 26 Imperials.

The Legion traditionally recruits locally, so it does make sense. Check out the legates, they are of different races, including Imperial, Breton, Dunmer, even Altmer. Those are professionals who were sent into Skyrim to do the recruiting.

Well, logically thinking majority of the legion stationed in Skyrim would be local Nords. Have them recruited and trained in their homeland instead of transporting vast amount of foreign troops from Cyrodiil which would also weaken Cyrodiil.

CK doesn't exactly tell you how many NPCs there really are in-game if that's what you're thinking. There's something called "spawners" and copying/re-using the same NPCs.

But it'd be weird. Aren't most Nords supposed to be against the banning of Talos? I thought Rikke was supposed to be one of the few rare ones with the different mindset, which is emphasized alot in her character.

Also, pretty sure it isn't normal to have so many locals being recruited. Just compare it to real-life. You don't see Japanese people signing up in USA military bases stationed in Japan or something. Other examples would be when countries do invade other countries in war, or perhaps colonization back in the modern era. It's still British soldiers in a British base in the Philippines, Nazi troops in France etc.

How can you just rely so heavily on the locals?

What I find more odd is the lack of Orcs. Gorza and Moth in Markarth mention having trained as smiths in the legion, and Ghorbash the Iron Hand returned from a stint with the legion as well. Why are no Orcs still part of the legion?

Hm, maybe they're just part of a rare number of Orcs. You barely see as many Orcs in Skyrim either, anyway.

It is not. Legion in Skyrim isn't invading or occupying force. Skyrim is officially still part of the Empire and legion is the official military force. And a lot of Nords prefer Empire over Stormcloaks despite the banning of Talos worship.

I find those comparisons quite... unfitting.

That is an erroneous belief I have encountered before in some Stormcloak True Believers...

Those contradict each other. The fact that three of the few Orcs you find are self-identified ex-legion makes them a high proportion of the Orcs. The only Orcs I've found in uniform were bandits who'd stolen them.

'When the sons of Skyrim spill their own blood . . . signal the return of the dragons . . . end of the world. But there is one who. . . . '

I'm paraphrasing heavily from the official trailer, but Nords killing Nords is an important part of the prophesy of Alduin's return methinks.

"What the Rebels like to forget is that they're killing their own countrymen, not the Thalmor."

Quite so....it is a Civil War.....that's what it means. The indigenous population fighting itself. Brother on brother literally. So yes the imperial troops in Skyrim are naturally, local Nords who believe in the Empire view point.

Even amongst the civil population the loyalties are split. Watch what happens when a Stormcloak courier runs through Riverwood.
If you've not seen it....

SPOILER...........

Basically the guards attack the runner, who doesn't stop and usually gets away. Gerdur takes his side and attacks the guards, Alvor and Sigrid then turn against Gerdur, normally killing her. And others can get drawn in as well halving the population of Riverwood while you just wonder what the hell just happened! If you get this and want to stop it......intercept the courier on the South road before the village. Speak and he will turn around.

Lol. Does that really happen? If so, that's some real nice and specific allegiances the NPCs have.

Yeah it really does happen.....rarely.....but it does.

In anycase it's well known of course that Gerdur is pro Stormcloak cos she's Ralof's sister. While Alvor is an
Imperial sympathiser. Can't recall about Sven and Faendal they may be neutral. But if you get involved whichever befriended you will join in on your side. Embry can't get his face out of his mug and I've never seen Orgnar out of the inn. Delphine also remains neutral. The blades used to be totally imperial allies of course, guarding the Emporer. But being pushed aside by the penitus oculatus and not being supported in their fight against the Thalmor should push Delphine to Stormcloak sympathies, if any.

i find this odd as well.. Morrowind told us that the vast number of Orcs regularly joined the Legion...

ahh well, guess things have changed since the 3rd era..

The Blades' loyalty was to the Septim line of Dragonborn Emperors, which ended with Martin (and to the similarly dragonborn Reman dynasty in centuries past). It was not to the Empire. There may have been some residual sympathy with Potentate Ocato, but that died with him. They had no hand in the Stormcrown Interregnum, and no loyalty to Titus Mede I or any of his descendants when he ultimately prevailed.

If anything, the Penitus Oculatus was created to fill the void left by the Blades' disavowal. The Empire and the Blades after that may have had a mutual enemy in the Thalmor, but after the Blades got roflstomped in the prelude to the Great War, it was probably for the best that the PO had taken over their role.

I'm going with the http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WatsonianVersusDoylistexplanation that the Civil War setup was half-baked in development. There is a conspicuous lack of women in the Legion ranks as well, despite there being Lokir-Killing Archer and Captain RedQueen in the beginning, and of course Legate Rikke. And that's to say nothing that is the rats' nest of the entire Civil War quest system setup after they cauterized its far more Radiant-Story-employing layout.

And don't forget the lack of imperial mages. They have plenty of them in the tutorial, where the hell were they when we're engaging Solitude? I don't remember there being any

I believe it is mentioned in several places that 1) the Empire had no legions to spare to send to Skyrim. And 2) that the Legion pointedly recruited from Skyrim for dealing with the rebellion. (I think it was felt that being an outlying province, the province was was expected to sort out it's own mess.) Tullius was most likely assigned to Skyrim to make sure that the Empire's interests were properly attended to. Besides, it's well known that Skyrim's main contribution to the Empire was soldiers. [Ever hear the expression, "Sending coal to Newcastle"?]

There was also Stormcloak mages in the cut content, as well as giants.

I just tried out Civil War Overhaul (As a Nord) and the dialogue Galmar says, talks about them previously being in the legion. He basically says, "These people were your friends, but they will try to kill you now, so don't hold back".

Many of the Stormcloaks comment on how a family member got taken away and never came back and that is why they joined up.

Ulfric at one point said something about the Nords building the empire.

Never heard that expression before.

I've never even heard any of such dialogue mentioning Nords killing their own kind or anything.

Well though I'm aware of the Giants thing. They should have been part of the Civil War, but seems like Bethesda got lazy again. With giants, the CW battles could very well be like that in LOTR. Man, so much missing potential. I think Immersive Creatures adds a few CW giants to the game. But just patrolling with guards and stuff

Yeah I've noticed on the forums people seem to act like stormcloaks = nords and legion = imperials, when actually most of the legion in skyrim are nords. It needs to be understood Stormcloaks are weirdo rebel nords, not just nords in general. Skyrim has been part of the empire for a long time, every nord in the game grew up under imperial rule so its totally normal for nords to support the empire. I think there should have been more diversity in legionaries, more orcs and etc, to stress its not just imperials, but still yeah mostly nords in skyrim makes sense.

It would have been a nice touch actually if NONE of the imperial soldiers were imperials, only a few high ranking officials like general tullius, all the normal soldiers nords and orcs and the odd redguard.

I don't know about you but I'm killing Thalmor left and right.

Shhhh. . . me too.