OK, let's look at the rules on this:
Strategic Operations, page 24:
Ground units making space drops for zero-G operations use all the rules for exiting a carrying aerospace unit as given under Atmospheric Drops, p. 23. In addition, if a unit enters a space hex affected by gravity, whether directly from a carrying aerospace unit or due to its own movement (see High-Altitude Map, p. 75, TW), it must adhere to the effects of gravity as described under Space Drops for Orbital Insertion, above (at the end of the Movement Phase (Aerospace), all such ground units move toward the planet by 1 hex).
Fair enough. Also on the same page, under Movement:
Ground units that exit a carrying aerospace unit, or voluntarily move off an aerospace unit’s hull, have the same heading and velocity as the carrying unit. For example, if a ’Mech drops from a DropShip heading along Vector A at a Velocity of 10, the ’Mech also heads along Vector A at a Velocity of 10.
Cool. Now, let's go back to page 22:
A carrying aerospace unit can drop a number of units each turn equal to its operational door capacity (though if a door is damaged, either through a critical hit or through dropping a unit, no units can use that door for the remainder of the scenario). Doors noted as pure cargo bay doors, or fi ghter/Small Craft bay doors, cannot be used; the number of ’Mech/ProtoMech/vehicle bay doors a unit has will be noted in either the unit’s technical readout or record sheet game statistics. A carrying aerospace unit can drop any number of infantry units.
So, no, Major Headcase, your Union can't deploy 14 'Mechs, unless two of them are LAMs in fighter mode. BattleMechs can't use fighter doors. LAMs are a special exception, because they can turn themselves into aerospace fighters.
The rules on page 22, however, do note:
Every time a non-infantry unit drops, roll 2D6. On a result of 2, though the unit successfully drops from the aerospace unit, the door is damaged and cannot be used for the rest of the scenario (it is considered to have been critically hit; see Critical Hit Effects, p. 239, TW).
Rules for deploying fighters are highly similar, with a couple of provisos. To Total Warfare, page 86, we go:
Fighters and small craft may launch from a carrier only at the end of that carrier’s movement. Two fighters or small craft can exit each fighter/small craft bay door each turn at no risk; the number of fighter/small craft bay doors on the Large Craft will be noted in either the unit’s technical readout or record sheet game stats.
Additional fighters/small craft may attempt to launch from the same bay door in a turn, but if they do, each unit (including the first two) must make a Control Roll with a +1 penalty per additional fighter/small craft launched beyond the first two.
If this roll succeeds, that fighter/small craft launches successfully, and occupies the same hex, with the same heading and velocity as the carrying unit; it may expend its standard Thrust MP in the same turn it launches and may make attacks during the Weapon Attack Phase of the same turn (this may require players to revisit the order
of movement determined by Initiative and Unequal Number of Units (see p. 39).
If it fails, the fighter/small craft still launches, but suffers 10 points of standard-scale damage to the nose (the specific location determined via a 2D6 roll on the Hit Location Table) per point of MoF.
All mentions of the word "catapult" in Total Warfare refer to the BattleMech.
