MechWarrior 2 was the game that got me into BattleTech. Everything about it was awesome (when you're too young to notice any glitches) from the openish story, memorable pilots (dead-eye, I'm looking at you...) to the wide selection of 'mechs and weapons. To this day, I still fire it up in DOSbox and run through the economy enable campaign.
Backstory aside, there are 2 'Mechs in this game that never got an official release. From what I understand, or what I can at least assume, "Team Venom" (in the opening cinematic this is the name of the unit I guess) is killed off and we're left to play the role of the surviving Commando MechWarrior.
The Commando in this game is the stock COM-2D when you encounter it in battle. The COM-7X is the design or mod you start out with. The SRM-4 is removed, two more medium lasers are added (+1 in each arm) and another SRM-6 ammo bin is added where the SRM-4's ammo used to be. If I had to guess, this mod was created because of the hit detection bugs in the game and so the starting 'mech isn't so weak. Honestly, I don't know why the stock 2D would have been a bad choice in the first place, because in the DOS version missiles cause a lot of splash damage when they hit. It's a bit confusing if you decide to think about these things like I do (I actually prefer to run the stock ASN-21 Assassin in the early game because of this reason. SRM/LRM launcher splash damage seems to kill the opfor pretty quick).
The design itself transfers over to the table top as a mod. It's basically a 2D with a different loadout. I haven't used it in the board game, but I assume it would play like a slower JR7-D Jenner. Pummel your enemy with medium lasers then crit seek with the SRM launcher. The only thing that hurts the design is the ammo bin placement. I'm OK with two tons of ammo, but if it was in one torso location it would help lower the threat of suffering an ammo explosion.
Later in the game, during the babysitting mission or in the store, you encounter a JagerMech. This modification is actually pretty interesting. Again, I think the reason this loadout was changed was because of hit detection issues. The JM6-S is TERRIBLE in this game if you ever decide to create one and try it out. I'm crazy. I've done it. It does almost NO damage at all. If the board game had glitches like this the S would actually be a useless as most of your min/max players say it is. But again, there are still designs that keep autocannons on them despite this, so thinking about it too much might give you a headache. Alas, I'm pretty sure the JM6-B is a factory design in this game, since you can buy it from the store.
The JagerMech in this game is designated as the JM6-B and seems to be a modification of the A variant from the table top game. It has the same armor loadout as the JM6-A and some of the same weapons. Each arm has a large laser, each torso has an LRM-15 and a medium laser, with two tons of ammo total and ONLY 13 heat sinks. This 'mech runs hot in the game, but it performs nicely, until your arms get blown off really quick.
Converted to the table top, it seems like it could be a nice alternative to the JM6-A and S. It would be one of those designs that rides the heat curve. In all honesty, I don't understand why they didn't just stick with putting the JM6-A in the game. Autocannons still do damage, just not a lot, and the JM6-A isn't a terrible design.
So what do you guys think of the COM-7X and JM6-B? On the table top, I think they could hold their own and even find a place on the field. Maybe not as house specific designs but some mercenary mods or rare factory designs floating around.
EDIT: Just for reference, I attached both of the design files.
EDIT: Scratch that, I'll post the designs in the custom thread and cross-reference them here.
JM6-B originally posted by Martian.
COM-7X also posted by Martian