For what little it's worth, I also endorse this gathering as a good one for Chicagoland.
These folks are a good up-and-coming group, with an honest desire to learn and try out new things with an open mind, yet also build upon previous knowledge to delve deeper into the massive variety that is our dorky giant stompy robot game (plus toys).
Currently the standard format for BMM/TW is lance-ish sized, and gear/variants up to 3067 provides a manageable amount of spice in scenarios. Plenty of room for Alpha Strike, too! With enough experience, I'd say that more can be put into play in the future!