QUOTE (Critias @ Sep 3 2011, 05:54 PM)

Never mind. Whatever. If it's my posts that somehow came off as "cyber hate," I apologize for being unclear.
They didn't. I just think you're underestimating the effect of utilising amazingly cheap cyber can have on multiple levels, especially if it's produced in house.
- Knight Errant is a major calling card for Ares, prime developper and producer of "defense" equipment. They're pretty much the most visible element they have, short of AR-spamming and the Predator's immortal rep. These guys are out on the streets, and can't be unseen by turning AR off.
- Ares has a reputation of being the best in the field of defense to uphold. Next to an image of being a no-holds-barred, effective, completely unsubtle powerhouse.
- They have recently taken over the Seattle contract from the Star, and have a reputation to establish here. Should they do this well, more sprawls -or even countries- may switch to them.
- Contrary to the Star, they're backed by Ares, and have substantially more resources to help them in their job, both monetary and logistically. If KE needs a special kind of weapon, another branch of Ares can develop them and supply them at base price. The same holds true for 'ware suites.
KE can have the suite I mentioned before developed. It would cost them 9k nuyen per implantation, plus the surgeon's salary. That isn't even two months worth of salary for someone working a 40 hour job according to RC, which is about a part time job for any proper wageslave. For the average employee, it should be more like a month and a half's worth.
This nets them the reputation of being the biggest and baddest thing on the streets out there, making the Star look like amateurs beside them. This not only vastly increases the opinion the general public has of them, but will also make the average ganger think six times before picking a fight with them, likely lowering crime levels without anyone directly intervening. When that average ganger does decide to pick that fight, the chances of the KE officer coming out on top are so substantially improved to almost be guaranteed. This makes KE lose less officers in the line of duty, which on one hand cuts down on costs to train new recruits, on costs for medical treatment, and payment to family in case of death, and on the other hand further reinforces the image of being the best with actual statistics.
And people in charge of overseeing their district's security contracts will take note of all this.
Beside all this, it's also a source of major publicity for Ares' cyberware division.
For Lone Star, I can see the low and non-cybered beat cops. For Ares, that really stretches believability for me.