Just an idea, as I wrote the story and cards when MXS did this in MI a few years back. You can simulate mechs with football pads and such. Repoman, Weltman and Conan did an awesome job of pulling off mechs. It makes it a little easier to move and such, and it does cut down on the costs.
I am assuming you would be writing this for Lucky 7, Red Dog should remember that game, in fact I think he reffed it, I know H20 and a few others of his group played it. I am not the expert on the Mechwarrior universe, but any help you might want of me, I will gladly help you out with. Pretty cool to see someone wanting to move back into the realm of fantasy vs WWII