I've been a squad leader of a NPC squad in RPs before, and it does help VERY much for my post sizes. I'm not the best RPer out there, and I find msyelf without a paragraph in my posts without bad filler content. But with two+ characters to play with, I'd be a happy camper playing 'second fiddle' to the mechs in a platoon. I also have ideas sprouting in my head as to different load-outs and different vehicles the small squad would use already.

I also imagine the mechs to be less of an 'average' thing on the battlefield. Sure there are plenty, but I imagine they are a larger expense than normal grunts. I could RP the perspective of those without mechs.