I liked the strong Roman feel. Skyrim isn't "fantastically fantasy" looking like Oblivion and I felt that the Roman Armor fitted just fine. After all the other armors reminds me of old norse armors. Hell even the horns are there (and I know the norse didn't have horns in their helmets)

Compared to the Imperial Legion guards in Oblivion. I thought the Oblivion guard armor looked way better. The Imperial armor in Skyrim was okay, but it just didn't appeal to me as much as I would have liked.

I feel that Oblivion legion armor suited Oblivion better while Skyrim Legion armor suits Skyrim better. Although I also think that Skyrim legion armor lacks something. I loved the heavy capes seen in the original concept art, and luckily there is a mod that adds these capes to the armor.

See this:

http://www.videogamesartwork.com/games/elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/imperial-armor

And this:

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/810033-imperial-legion-original-concept/

(sorry, couldn't find a smaller picture)

I wish there would be something in between of Oblivion and Skyrim Legion armors. I have also thought that Byzantine inspired armors would somehow fit to Skyrim's visual style.

Trousers....?

Luckily, not anymore

http://static-4.nexusmods.com/15/mods/110/images/50281-2-1390574868.jpg

It's a good think the Emperor takes care of his soldiers. Like provide them suitable equipment to wage war in winter conditions and such...

I like both variants. Oblivion had that heavy defensive armor that you want those who guard stuff to have to ensure that they never get overwhelmed while the armor in Skyrim gave me the Centurion-feel that i love so much

Yeah the Imperial Armor is okay, though a bit bulky, especially on males. I find it odd that once again they gave a 5 pt bonus to heavy instead of light armor, while the racial description on the website says they are known for their light infantry and 95% of the army wears light armor. Oddly, they had a five point bonus for light armor in MW, but the pocket guide description said they're famous heavy infantry had created the Empire (they have amended the website description on MW to laude light infantry, in fact each game is the same desc. now)..

So I think their should have been some kind of special light Imperial armor for Skyrim, with a perk like elven armor. There is no reason the technology and production skill of the Empire could not have produced such. I love chainmail and chain-plate, which the real Roman Empire had adapted from the Gauls and equipped high ranking officers with early in the empire, and entire cavalry forces to face the Parthians in the later Empire. Chain could have been light and chain plate could have been heavy. I suppose the studded Imperial armor was supposed to be close, but I don't run the patches and can't smith it, nor does it come with a perk.

Penitus Oculatus Armor is special Light armor made by the Empire

And one of my favorite. It gives a feel of High Rank Imperial Officer.

I think the idea is that while the Legion uses more heavy armour (unless they're recuiting en masse), Cyrodiilic civilians underwent some sort of national service in which they were trained in light militia combat.

Yeah, there is that, and Penitus is okay looking, but my main point is that there should be some with a smithing perk available, besides the heavy steel, but there isn't. Acknowledged, they had a tendency toward militia that used light armor, that being so all the more reason to mass produce some type of decent quality light armor with a perk, just like the Aldmeri did with the Elven Light and Elven armors. Surely, the vast resources of the Imperials, at some period in the last 200 years since Oblivion, could have put out something to that effect.

Oh, and that being the case, the masses being steered toward light armor/militia, then, again, my point is why don't imperials get +5 in light armor instead of heavy? Heavy is for the minority elite. Light is for the masses which lends itself more toward a racial ability in my opinion.

I liked the Armor in Skyrim, nice throwback to the imperial roman looking armor you had in Morrowind, even though it might look even more roman this time around. Anyways it was cool, if they had used roman looking armor in Oblivion it would have changed the feel of the game and probably crashed a little with the design of the cities etc. So I think the Oblivion imperial armor fitted the design of that game more than the roman looking one.

I like the Roman style, except for Tullius' armor. It just looks to simple for a high placed general, something like http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qh_ulrdLfSI/T7ch0IJGhfI/AAAAAAAAyIo/Aw-Z0ZV6MzM/s400/aci-romangeneral-30.jpg would have been much better.

Yeah, Imperial Armour's one of my favourite armour sets in the game, and most of my characters end up in the Empire largely to wear the armour. I always wear either heavy Imperial armour with the Closed Imperial Helmet, or Penitus Oculatus with a hood. Yet to commit to the light and studded armours yet, though.

And the Norse/Roman mixed concept art is fantastic. Cannot believe they ditched the Norse influence, even if I do love the Roman look, the mix of sophisticated Roman armour and rugged, practical Norse design made a perfect mix.

I totally agree with you. I have been trying to learn to create 3D models just because I want to bring something like in the first link I shared earlier to Skyrim. I thought I could make use of my artistic skills, but it sadly seems they are completely different skills that one needs in 3D modeling.

Penitus Oculatus Armor is the best looking among Imperial Armors. Heavy Imperial Armor is kinda useless, too heavy but don't protect as good as Steel armor.

I can't get the quote function to work, but Anglo, to your point about the mix of Norse/Imperial look, I agree. It is what I imagine it would have looked like in Roman Gual or Britain. Have you tried a Stormcloak Officer's Helm (the bearhelm) with a heavy imperial cuirass? I really love that look for an Imperial "gone" native, or something like a battle trophy, or a nord legionnaire that wants to honor his homeland. I will use the console to just add it to a merchant or after I kill a bear, if I don't get it from an actual npc.

I like to mix the Imperial Heavy Armor with Imperial Light Boots and Bracers or other fur bracers with that Bearhelm, a great look if you don't mind missing out on the AR of full heavy. I haven't had any problem with it though.

I had an imperial female once. She used a Pennitus Chest with both hands and legs imperial heavy armor and the helmet was an imperial Officer helmet. The silver contrasting with the crimson/black chest looked awesome. Also, she was a scout.