Magna Mongadizafra, Pregame History Turn 6.
Naturally, the Navy would be prioritized for funding, for anything the Army can do the Navy can do better. While the budget gave a decent amount of funding to the Army initially, over time due to the Navy's influence and exaggerating fears over certain neighbors, both those of the east and those of the south, more and more funding would end up going to the Navy, and in turn the Navy would use that funding to strengthen itself in the eyes of the public, it's prestige, and it's ties to the steelworking and shipbuilding industries. All while doing everything it could to ensure it maintained dominance over the two branches of the Military through using its sizable influence on the politicians in order to get more funding, which would only fuel the cycle. This ended up getting to the point where the Army was just a garrison and policing force which relied upon navy surplus equipment, while the Marines took up the role of the actual army. One might think that a rivalry would exist between the Army and the Navy, but that isn't the case, as the Army was far too weak politically to do so. Regardless, the first to be granted charge over the Navy was Giocondo Firavanti, and during his time he ensured that with the large amount of funding the Navy had that... as well as... and... were funded to ensure that the Navy was strong.
(Pick Three)
1. The Shipyards and slipways dedicated to the Navy were the best. Naturally, this meant a number of fairly sizable grants would be given to the research of methods of producing ships far faster than normal, along with the industry to make such happen. Naturally, this payed off quite well and resulted in a large number of ships, both of the Navy and that of more civilian nature being produced swiftly and effectively by the shipwrights of our nation.
2. Expanding the shipyards and slipways of the nation was a key and high priority in order to create larger vessels that would be worthy of the title of flagship. Naturally, this aided the civilian market as well, as the grants and new facilities and their expansion allowed the ship building corporations that owned these facilities to produce larger merchant and passenger liners that were the envy of all of South America.
3. While we have a grand and long Naval Tradition, the training of sailors is still one of the most important aspects of a navy. If our sailors aren't fully trained and ready for anything the lives of many will be put into danger along with the ships they stand upon. While the basics are already covered, more advanced aspects of sailors work is given greater attention and time in training depending on the role of a sailor on board a vessel. Needless to say, our sailors have more time to learn, but they certainly make the most of it.
4. While we have a sizable and competent Marine force, the training and expansion of our marine forces is paramount to our nations survival. By expanding the Marines and their training, we are able to make use of our budget to gain both greater prestige and power all while ensuring the Army knows it's place. With a sizable force of well trained under our direct control, nothing will stop us, and almost every victory on land and sea will be of our own doing and by our own hand.
5. While we have a good number of captains eager to go from leading fishing boats to true warships, the command of a warship is drastically different and far more stressful than any mere whaling ship or merchantman. Ensuring our Captains and officers remain calm under pressure, and know the best strategies and tactics along with crew management is paramount to keeping our ships afloat, and ensuring our enemies do the exact opposite of that.
6. All naval battles rely upon the gun and it's power. No naval battle since the age of sail has been won without cannon and gun. Naturally, ensuring all of our crews have the best gunners available is key. And our swift adoption of varying things to make gunnery easier like enemy plotting cards has done much to make our sailors crack shots. Of course, as guns got larger and more powerful, and range increased, accuracy fell. But even then, our gunners still maintain skillful shooting, and hit far more often than most others.
7. The might of our forces at sea is best shown at night, and our crews are trained to ensure that a good chunk of every day where the sea's are dark with naught but moonlight granting sight are kept as a place where our forces are just as strong as they are in the day, if not stronger. Ensuring the spotters cover their eyes before the guns fire so their eyes don't adjust to the bright light the flash of the guns give is just one of the myriad of tactics and tricks we employ to make sure our enemies fear us at night!