I’m running a weekly 2nd edition MechWarrior game (Over skype though, not in person). My players seemed to have a pretty easy time grasping the rules. 2nd edition does have its problems though if one runs it from the base book, like a few errors and omissions here and there (What skill is used for grenade throwing, and what skill does one use to deceive people?). The MechWarrior Companion book does a lot to help with this, and is an almost invaluable tool in that regard. What I like about the system though, is that it’s relatively simple, and easy to get going with. The archetypes are nice for making NPC’s quickly too. Mind that the personal combat of 2nd edition can quickly get deadly, especially if MechWarriors go up again professional infantry.