description:
Once the strongest fighting force in Tamriel, the Imperial Legion has been reduced to a mere shadow of its former self by the time of the events of Skyrim. With the disappearance of the Blades and the emergence of the Thalmor as a military power, many view the Legion as corrupt and decaying, much like the condition of the Empire. The Imperial Legion is based in Solitude, where they fight to keep Skyrim in the Empire. The Stormcloaks are at odds with the Imperial Legion, as proclaimed liberators of the Nordic people. Because of this, the Legion is also at odds with the influential Gray-Mane family, an old and renowned Whiterun clan, whose views oppose those of the Empire of Tamriel. However, they have the support of the influential Battle-Born clan, also in Whiterun.
armor:
The Imperial Legion almost always uses full sets of imperial light armor (the armor piece of the imperial light armor set is often replaced by studded imperial armor). These are roughly equal to the light armor worn by Stormcloak soldiers. High-ranking legionnaires generally use imperial heavy armor making them considerably tougher opponents. By default, when joining the faction, three different armor sets can be chosen (light, medium, or heavy). The Legion's armor generally has a greater defense when compared to the Stormcloaks. The armor bears a striking resemblance to the armor used by foot-soldiers in the Roman Empire.
tactics:
Because of their heavier armor and use of one handed swords and shields, the Imperial Legion can stand up to more punishment than the Stormcloaks. They let their enemies beat themselves against their shields and armor while at the same time using their swords to cut and stab through enemy ranks. The overall war strategy is not to go after the Stormcloaks directly, instead they focus on taking and holding key resources and settlements in a territory. After that all they have to do is simply wait until the Stormcloaks in the area are weakened enough to be forced out before moving on. This slow and calculated plan has allowed General Tullius to push Ulfric's Stormcloaks out of many of Skyrim's key territories. The drawback to this plan is that as the Legion increases the territories they control, they are also spreading their forces thinner to hold onto captured ground.
leadership and organization:
The Imperial forces located within Skyrim have been organized into the IV Legion, which has become a rather large segment of the Imperial Army. The IV Legion is under the command of General Tullius and his Chief Lieutenant Legate Rikke.