I am playing my first character and am a level 37 Tank. I waited to do the main quest and the civil war quests. It did not seem right to have a level 6 saving the world or at least the empire. I sat down last nigth and started the civil war quests. I easily went through every fort and quest asked of me by simply doing a Strun- Bah storm call and swinging away. I stopped right before the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Battle_for_Windhelm because it was too simple. Did I wait to long to do the quests. If so do I need to start on the main quest before it becomes simple?

Much like you I'm at level 39 and have only done four parts of teh main quest. I can't say for sure if you mssed anything since I don't know how fast you clear dungeons or forts. I will make a sugestion. If the game is getting to easy and you are not already playing on the master difficulty you should look to increase this. It may help make things more chalenging for you.