I know it doesn't affect who you can join but with Ralof you can boost 1 handed and with Hadvar you can get ingots for free.

Ralof if you want a set of heavy armor. Otherwise there's no difference.

Thanks I chose ralof

Hadvar will get you better "free stuff" in riverwood

Ralof because you get Imperial heavy armor

ralof for the heavy armor set

And there is one more thing:

ralof cuz he isn't a [censored]...

That's always the deciding factor as to why I follow Ralof, I always beat her to the ground with my fists! I don't hate the Imperials, but I hate her.

Hadvar, no paticular reason. Went with Ralof when i got the game, due to the more expensive Imperial Armour you can loot. But you'll soon find that money is of no consequence once you've played it a few times.

I always side with Hadvar. The free stuff from the backsmith and what not. Could care less for heavy armor, I can loot that later.

Stormcloaks > empire for me, I can't justify any of my characters joining the imperials. I've done the stormcloak questline a few times (some characters ignore both questlines) but never the imperial questline.

The empire is weak, signing the WGC goes against the very foundings of the current empire, built by Tiber Septum (Talos) himself. The best thing for skyrim is liberation, then it can stand by itself, lead by the dragonborn and ulfric if the thalmor come knocking.

But the beginning questline doesn't matter, I still go for ralof though.

I like Hadvar more but you do get to loot better armor if you follow Ralof.

Hadvar if you are All American at heart.

Ralof if you are a terrorist at heart.