It's heroic!

lmao

this maybe...

My Orc went empire because they are more accepting of other races, whereas the Stormcloaks have a certain distaste for non-Nords. They won't buy weapons from any smith that isn't a Nord for example.

Still, maybe your Orc could be from a camp native to Skyrim, and you want the damned elves and their intrusive empire out just as much as the Stormcloaks... and by proving your might in combat you hope to show the Nords that you and yours are sons of Skyrim...

Really, make up whatever you want.

Where did you hear that?

I think we see a lot of unnecessary hatred against the stormcloak therefor people tend to call them nazi's. I guess it's one of the most common insult to give to them I suppose.

Anyhow If Stormcloaks are nazi's then so are the imperials. Theirs nazi's roaming freely in Skyrim I suppose.

My orc sided with the Stormcloaks to kill him some Imperials

Did it on another character and I asked her how business was and that's what she said

Woman in Whiterun says this if you complete the CW questline for the Stormcloaks. Warmaiden stays in business, but she tells you that the only reason is because her husband is a Nord.

Stormcloaks are more like the American Colonies in rebellion from the Brittish Empire. Yes, there is a problem with racism in Skyrim, as there was in the colonies, but it's not the reason they're rebelling. The issue simply takes a back seat to the bigger problem, namely an Empire that does not have the best interests of it's constituent nations at heart. So, think of Ulfric Stormcloak as George Washington; Washington was a slave owner (though by most accounts, a good one) but that doesn't mean he wasn't a generally awesome guy and a brilliant leader.

And yet the nicest shop in Windhelm (where Ulfric is Jarl) is owned by a High Elf. Sorry, this particular line of reasoning just doesn't pan out.

She's making armor for the imperials, and her father is the jarl's steward, whom she says that she advises. There is more to it than just the fact that she's not a Nord.

An Orc that thinks he's a nord? One that grew up in Skyrim and hates the Empire?

Stormcloaks are nothing like Nazis.

They want independence and maybe a two-tier society (although there's almost no evidence for that). How does that make them Nazis?

To answer the question, though, no it isn't, because see above.

When you are asked why you want to fight for Stormcloaks, one of the two responses is stating simply that you hate the Empire. You don't need to be loyal to Ulfric to join the Stormies, just have the same enemies they do.

I kill both, more experience. I am the protector of whiterun

The Stormcloaks want every non-nord out of Skyrim, doubt they care if it's over the border or 6 feet under. The thalmor try to eradicate the talos worshippers in skyrim and base their superiority in ideology, where the stormcloak baser their "superiority" of nationality. Stormcloaks are bigger nazis than the thalmor

I sided with the Empire for the simple reason that Ulfric's vision of Skyrim only has Nords in it

That is Imperial probaganda. Go to Windhelm, meet the man and make your own judgement. While you are there, you should take the time to listen to the conversations he has with his steward and with his general.

As others have said, don't believe in everything you read. Whenever someone (also in game) tell you something, it is their point of view. And they may have an ulterior motive (like getting you to fight their war), and their judgement may be clouded by lack of knowledge or ideology.

It is my understanding that the Thalmor want to rule men, not exterminate them.

The vast majority of the stormcloaks I met were no more racist than any body of soldiers at war. And only few of their supporters were openly racist.

Interesting comparison.

Ulfric fully realises it, but he also knows that in order to win, he needs not only a strong army, but an army that believe in what they are fighting for. In the eyes of most nords, the Empire lost a lot of credibility when they bowed down before the Thalmor and outlawed Talos worship. This means that nords may fight for the Empire against the Thalmor, but they will not really believe in the cause they are fighting for (the Empire). When fighting against the Thalmor for a free Skyrim, they have a cause that they can believe in.

The Thalmor--not the Stormcloaks--have got the whole master race thing going on.

In terms of racism, that doesn't apply to the Stormcloaks at all, as long as you exclude Argonians, Khajiit, Dunmer, Bosmer, Altmer, and oh yeah, the Forsworn. They probably wouldn't much like anyone from Akavir, either. Other than that, and well, technically Imperials, since "Skyrim is for the Nords", they're not racist at all. I can't think of a case of racism towards Orcs, Bretons or Redguards. Seriously though, the way they're presented, some Stormcloaks are racist, others aren't--but the leadership, including Ulfric, is.

There are a lot of ways to play an Orc or non-human who sides with the Stormcloaks, though. Your character could just be an idiot. Your character just might not care about anyone but himself, and as long as he's treated OK, he doesn't care. Or your character could view himself as being tougher and better than others, so what happens to other non-Nords doesn't matter to him. He could even think that he's proving that he's better than a Nord by being granted status in a society that looks down on others.

Been asked, nicely, by a moderator to drop the modern references. Some people just don't read.

My next character will be an orc bent on reuniting and strengthening all the strongholds. I have no preconception as to which side will seem most likely to help him achieve his goal, and don't want to develope one until I actually play him.

My Orc warrior joined the stormcloaks, being a Barbarian type he has absolutely no regrets in joining the stormcloaks if it means that he can get back at those who were about to cut his head off.

No, they don't. The only people who say that are there enemies, and it is blatantly untrue. As any walk around Windhelm or Riften will tell you, there are scores of elves in Stormcloak-held territory, many of them prominent officials and business owners.

What came to mind for me was Scotland winning its freedom from English rule.

Ulfric and the (real) William Wallace are pretty similar. Robert the Bruce was more of a Balgruuf kind of man.

this... the Stormcloakes are just bigots

I wish people would read through the responses before leaving the same comments, but that's as old as the internet itself.

This is another reason why I love Skyrim and its politics. My first character Jonas Highfire was a Redguard who eventually decided that Skyrim should fight for its independence and right to retain their culture, so I headed over to Windhelm quite late into the game all looking forward to meeting the mighty and honourable Ulfric Stormcloak. Of course, I was bitterly disappointed and the more I saw and heard the more I loathed the man - read 'The Bear of Markarth' if you want to hear the worst (in my opinion) of his deeds.

The thing is, I still supported to Stormcloak's fight and so I lead them to victory even though I despised their leader - real life can be like that. I had intended to overthrow and possibly kill Ulfric when all was said and done (didn't care if the game 'allowed' me to or not) but when the civil war was over I ultimately decided that he was better as High King of Skyrim, with me keeping a close eye on him, than for Skryim to be once again devoid of true leadership.

In short, there can be many complex reasons for doing things that seem illogical - you just have to become your character and understand your motives. Perhaps you want the 'Cloaks to win to further your own agenda...perhaps you just want to see the world burn; just role play and love it!

Oh, and Ulfric's right hand man (with the bear helm) was surprisingly respectful and almost welcoming when I pressed him on his opinions towards non-Nords in the civil war, upon him asking me why a Redguard wanted to fight for Skyrim. Still, Redguards and Nords seem very compatible culturally anyway, far moreso than Bretons for example.