Dominion Military

*Not to be confused with Thalmor.*

*"The forces of the Dominion Military are the physical incarnation of the Glory of the Aldmeri Peoples, and as such must be respected by members of the tertiary races."*
―Legate Calevarnel[src]
**The Dominion Military** or **Aldmeri Dominion Military** is the main fighting force of the three different Aldmeri Dominions. It has seen extensive combat in the Alliance War, Tiber Wars, and Great War.

## Background

The Dominion Military preforms to duty of both protecting the citizens of the Dominion and representing the heritage of the Aldmeri race, even the non-Altmer races of the Dominion. Only the Vestige can join the Dominion Military in The Elder Scrolls Online. The Last Dragonborn gets no such chance despite the Dominion being present during the events of *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*.

## Units and strategies

### Units

A Marine in the First Auridon Marines.
* Dominion Infantry
* Dominion Pyromage
* Dominion Cutthroat
* Dominion Sharpshooter
* Dominion Invoker
* Dominion Mender
* Dominion Recruit
* Dominion Wildling
* Dominion Frostcaller
* Dominion Pyromancer
* Dominion Lightfoot
* Dominion Spy
* Dominion Conscripts
* Dominion Marines.
* First Auridon Marines, the Royal Guard of the Aldmeri Dominion, led by a Battlereeve.
* Local Dominion Guard forces, led by a captain.

### Strategies and tactics

The Dominion army knows, and makes use of, the phalanx formation. Individual Dominion soldiers are also known to use a combination of dirt tricks, subterfuge, and magic, according to the Daggerfall Covenant.

Each race is also known to use a variety of different tactics in one-on-one combat. The Bosmer are known to attack from different sides or use bows and arrows to defeat their opponent. Khajiit use both their claws and tails to achieve victory. If disarmed, Khajiit will use their razor sharp claws to rip through light and medium armors, and they have even been noted to use their tails to hold knives and throwing weapons and use such weapons with deadly accuracy. High Elves are known to regularly use magic in combat to gain the upper hand, Daggerfall Covenant forces are told to close the gap to avoid being killed by magic.

## Arms and armor

The weapons and armor for the Dominion Military are standardized for all troops and deviations from the norms are not acceptable for military use. The design of the armor and weapons is very elegant and uses the Aldmeri Eagle quite a bit; according to Aicantar of Shimmerene some even think that the eagle is overused.

### Weapons

The weapons used by the Dominion Military are as follows:

* **Axes**: The design, like many other Dominion weapons, uses the Aldmeri Eagle somewhere. The Eagle in the axe is actually in the blade with the wings themselves being the razor sharp weapon.

* **Bows**: Dominion longbows are very slender in design with the wings of the Aldmeri Eagle at the top and bottom of the bow, but they are made of an alloy known as Lillandril Steel, a durable and ductile metal.

* **Daggers**: Dominion daggers are small double-edged blades that broaden towards the tip before it narrows in the tip of the blade, with the wings of the Aldmeri Eagle serving as the cross guard.

* **Maces**: The Dominion mace has a tripartite head with the blades in the shape of eagle wings adorning the top. The blades are made of a dense ebony-steel alloy making them good for both slashing and bludgeoning.

* **Staves**: Staves used by Dominion mages look very similar to poll-axes with their flared winged heads, mages have even been known to use the stave as such when need be.

* **Swords**: The sword of the Dominion Military is similar to the dagger in that they are both bladed on each side and widen towards the end before narrowing at the tip. Both are also straight blades and the sword is extremely long. The winged cross guards can also be used to disarm opponents with a twist when the opponents blade is caught.

### Armor

The armor used by the Dominion Military is as follows:

* **Heavy Helm**: The heavy helmet of the Dominion Armor features a fully enclosed helmet with a steel visor covering the entire face with the Aldmeri Eagle atop the steel cap.

* **Heavy Pauldrons**: The Dominion Military pauldrons feature both good protective capabilities as well as a spot for a rank insignia.

* **Heavy Cuirass**: The Dominion Cuirass is made of leather with a steel plate exo-skeleton for flexibility with the Aldmeri Eagle on the plastron.

* **Heavy Gauntlets**: Dominion gauntlets are made of a leather glove, as to not hamper flexibility, with broad vambraces to protect the forearm.

* **Heavy Belts**: The belt in use in the Dominion Military is kept very simple as to keep the tasset plates and cinctures that hold the armor together stable. A simple Aldmeri Eagle is the only elegant design on the belt.

* **Heavy Greaves**: The greaves of Dominion soldiers are made in such a way that they appear to be like the flow of an eagles wings. The knee guards do not have the Aldmeri Eagle on it, as it would be disrespectful to kneel on the sacred symbol of the Aldmeri Dominion.

* **Heavy Sabatons**: The boots of the Dominion Military are reinforced with metals in vital points at the toes so, if need be, the boots can be used as an effective weapon when kicking and to provide ample protection.

## History

### Second Era

#### Alliance War

 File:Battlereeve of Dusk card art.png
During the Three Banners War, the Dominion Military saw extensive use in both Cyrodiil, where their forces were stretched thin by fighting Ebonheart Pact and Daggerfall Covenant forces. Within the Dominion Territory fighting forces like the Imperial Legion and the Colovian Troopers invading Reaper's March.

In Cyrodiil, the Dominion Military fought several engagements with both the Daggerfall Covenant and the Ebonheart Pact over several fortifications and towns. The War in Cyrodiil also extends into the Imperial City in which each of the alliances fight each other and the Daedra for control of the city. The Dominion and Legion also had several clashes in Cyrodiil during the conflict. The Dominion lost hundreds of soldiers in the Alliance War each fortnight.

Inside the Dominion, Colovian troopers from Skingrad invaded the city of Arenthia, The Vile Manse, and were even making headway to Vinedusk Village. The Colovian Troopers were pushed out by Dominion Military forces and resistance fighters in Arenthia with the help of the Vestige.

#### Tiber Wars

During the Tiber Wars, the Thalmor increased their hold on Valenwood. Bosmer forces had several skirmishes with the Imperial Legion, but was quickly put down after the Empire stood united against them. While the Imperial Legion prepared for the invasion of Valenwood, Dominion forces were sent to probe the Imperial's defenses, but they were easily pushed back. In fact, they were so easily pushed back that the Imperial Legion Soldiers took to calling the Dominion forces "Old Mary Dominion." The Dominion Navy however, fared much better in the Cape of the Blue Divide and Topal Bay. Eventually the Empire resorted to using the Numidium and conquered the entire Second Aldmeri Dominion.

### Fourth Era

#### Great War

When the Aldmeri Dominion sent Emperor Titus Mede II the heads of all the blades in the Summerset Isles, and the Great War started the Dominion Military invaded both Hammerfell and Cyrodiil. All across the Empire, Imperial Legion forces were pushed back time and time again. The Dominion Military quickly took the city of Leyawiin and cut off Bravil in Cyrodiil. Meanwhile in Hammerfell, the Dominion pushed the Imperials back across the Alik'r in the now infamous March of Thirst.

The success of the invasion in Cyrodiil was surprising to the Dominion and the Thalmor. It was initially planned that the Dominion Military was to take Hammerfell and that Cyrodiil was just a distraction, but with the Imperial City within grasp the Dominion decided to invade the capital of the Empire. The Dominion pushed deep into Cyrodiil, taking the cities Anvil and Bravil with ease. The Dominion then pushed towards the Imperial City, surrounding the city on three sides. Fierce clashes between the Imperial Navy and Dominion Navy occurred on Lake Rumare.

Soon the Emperor and his armies were forced to fight their way out of the city. The Dominion, led by Lord Naarifin, took the city. Under Dominion rule the Arena was shut down for a period of time. All access in and out of the city was closed off. What happened inside the city is mostly unknown, but it is known that Naarifin attempted to cause The Culling, which nearly succeeded but was stopped by the hero from *The Elder Scrolls: Legends*.

As the war went on, Imperial resistance stiffened in Hammerfell, but still the Dominion pushed on. The Emperor decided to invade the Imperial City as one last ditch effort. The Imperials withdrew forces from Hammerfell for support for the offensive on the Imperial City. The Imperials invaded, attacking from all three sides, and with great loss, took it back. The Great War then ended when the Emperor signed the White-Gold Concordat.

## Gallery

High Elf Soldier card art.pngA High Elf soldier during the Great War.Naarifin's Elite card art.pngAn elite soldier serving Lord Naarifin during the Great War.Queen Ayrenn Legends.pngQueen Ayrenn, the head of both the Dominion military and the First Aldmeri Dominion during the Alliance War.
## Appearances

* *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim*
* *The Elder Scrolls: Legends*
* *The Elder Scrolls Online*

## References

1. ↑ *Burnt Note*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Aldmeri Dominion Expeditionary Forces, General Order Seven*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 *Crafting Motif 25: Aldmeri Dominion Style*
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 *Eagle Hunter: Against the Dominion*
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 *Life in the Eagle's Shadow*
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 *Military Deployment Across Auridon*
7. ↑ *Dominion Military Recruitment*
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Events of "The Colovian Occupation"
9. ↑ Events of *The Elder Scrolls Online: Imperial City*
10. ↑ Events of *The Elder Scrolls Online*
11. ↑ *Savior of the Altmer, Part 1*
12. ↑ *Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Aldmeri Dominion*
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *The Great War*
14. ↑ Events of *The Elder Scrolls: Legends*