Stormblood ending was thoroughly disappointing

[Jandor]

I don't think it was unrelated. IIRC they said it was to make the Empire fight a war on two fronts, giving an advantage to the Resistance. Yeah, they felt like two different stories, but the progression made sense to me.

Yeah, they said that, but they never really show it.

Zenos pops over to see what's going on, tells Yotsuyu to get it sorted out and then hops back on his airship and flies away. We're told that we're over there to open a second front, but at no point does it really seem like the Empire is going to shift troops and equipment away from the Western front to deal with us. In fact, the whole Doma arc really gave me the impression that the Empire couldn't give two ****s about the place, which incidentally lends towards making our liberation of it seem more plausible.

Even if they do care, and they were going to shift things around and bring in some reinforcements, they never get chance. We pretty much fail spectacularly to open a second front to be honest, before it has a chance to become a bitter fight that bogs the Empire down, we go and bloody win it.
It might sting a bit to lose Doma, but at least losing it means it becomes a problem for another time. Any remaining troops can be safely shipped west to Ala Mhigo as an independent Doma is basically a non-issue for the Empire, Doma lacks the means or the will to be anything more than a minor annoyance. No proper army, no means to cross the burn, no desire to expand beyond their borders. The most they will do is send spies to engage in some sabotage and stir things up, annoying, but nothing that really poses an immediate existential crisis.