Despite admittance to the 1922 conference, Altera knew that they were still widely viewed as merely a colonial possession of the Noronican Empire. In the time following the conference, the government of Altera began to explore strategies which the fledgling nation could plausibly support itself - primarily out of a fear that Noronica would not support it's colonies. The consequence of the 1922 conference brought those fears to bare, with Altera quickly learning that her parent nation would not, and could not, be her protector in the event of total war.
However, it would not be until AM's violent departure from the Noronican Empire that Altera would begin put those thoughts into serious action. Utilising its limited resources, Altera proposed an ambition series of investment programs to modernise and prepare itself for national defence. Whilst this programme would not see Altera become a world power or have a significant military force, it was planned to enable Altera to stand a fighting chance in the event of a global conflict. The plan would call for three main goals: 1) to establish domestic production of license or locally designed equipment, 2) to have a full-time, professional fighting force, 3) to develop strategies appropriate to utilising that force.
By the mid-1930s, their ambition was beginning to pay off. Although merely average and adequate for the time - Altera had managed to produce sizeable numbers of fighter and bomber aircraft for its aerial defence - with a limited offence/strike capability. At the core of their fighter programme was the Yellownorth company's Vixen fighter - which would see use throughout the coming Imperial War. With a strong and sturdy design, and able to take a wider number of modifications, the Vixen was deployed in nearly all fighter squadrons by 1939, as well as all fighter-bomber and attack squadrons by 1940. Joining the Vixen was the Knight and Kingsman bombers, which also resumed the transport and naval bomber roles respectively. These three aircraft, which would be later joined by the more advanced Venom fighter, formed the basis of Altera's defensive and offensive strategies.
Whilst Altera left naval defence to its Noronican allies - knowing that Noronica would defend the strait off Alteran shores in order to defend against a naval attack on their home soil, the Alterans knew they had to come up with a viable strategy for ground offensive and defensive campaigns. Defence would be simple enough, with the Western borders protected by a neutral Xrevaro - it would be their southern border that would need defending the most. As much of the ground to the south was dense of forest, with few clear paths and even fewer roads and rail connections - the Alterans knew they could use those narrow chokepoints to harass any incoming force from the South, buying time for Noronican reinforcements. Altera's ground force with thus twin role - a highly defensive force, focusing on forest ambush tactics and defensive bunkers; as well as a highly mobile, mechanized force, utilising domestically produced vehicles such as the A2 Viking and the A3 Valkyrs to out manoeuvre incoming forces - flanking them and attacking to the rear.
By the time war was looming overhead, Altera was still not quite prepared for an all-out war - certainly unable to project unassisted power beyond Argus with the help of Noronica - but was in a much better position than it was a decade previously.
OOC: Athara Margarat I was debating having Alteran forces rush south to the canal - perhaps to reinforce Noronica/Alteran forces already stationed there - where our forces could meet. That sound good to you?
