I was building a campaign for MM based on MechCommander, I built a substitute list for 3025 salvage, SL and Clan designs rather than the 'Jagermech' or something like the Hollander which was Lyran at the time. I also switched things around so its not 10 Warhawks but rather mixed in Executioners, Dire Wolves, Kingfishers and I think a single Blood Asp but I would have to check.
To slow the activation, I would just have that bot not connected- a [ghost]- and when it reached the stage they would activate I connected the bot.
Fricking Jags killed one of the starting pilots in the first campaign and blew apart a pretty sweet Wolverine 6K mod.
Also, the Kit Fox did not do as much in the beginning as it would for you in MCG.
Going back, looking at the game, and now just finishing the novel, I think I may mix up the mechs a bit. You would think they would have more varied selection of Draconis Combine salvaged mechs. No old Star League mechs from a Brian Cache either. The concentration of Firefly 4Bs (IS upgraded Wolf's Dragoons mech), Owens, Striders, Avatars, Orion Ms, Sunders, and Annihilator 2As (another IS upgraded Dragoons mech and lots of them) is kinda ridiculous now that I really look at both the game and the book. No Raptors, Panthers, Jenners, Hitmen, Kabutos, Spiders, Venom, and that is just in the light mechs.
I understand being a Front Line Galaxy they would want to be in an Omnimech at least, but did they really encounter them in those numbers? I think between 3 battles in a row in the book there were also around 5-6 Annihilators. :o