First game with my son

I'm an old player...last played in the 90s, when FASA owned it and the Battle of Tukayyid was the most significant current event. My son has heard me talk about Battletech over the years, and asked about playing, but I said I we don't have the time, and a new company ran the game now, and I just don't know.

He bought some miniatures, came home, and said "now we can play!" So, I asked on here about the new game, and got some good advice, mainly that's it's still the old game, and to buy "A Game of Armored Combat" and then wait for the August rule update.

So, I did.

Our first game lasted about 5 hours. Teaching an 11-year-old to play is a bit of an endeavor, plus I'm really, really rusty. Maybe it would have gone faster on a "flat" map with no terrain rules. It was 2v2, using 3025/Succession War era tech. Marauder and Charger on his side, Battlemaster and Shadow Hawk on mine.

I did end up winning, which caused a bit of a moment, but hopefully he wants to play again. I certainly had fun, and it's coming back to me now, so we were getting faster by the end.

Questions:

He bought the Snord's Irregulars and the Legendary Mechwarriors II sets, and I don't have 3025 era equivalent spec sheets for every mech in there. Anywhere to get some of the tech while waiting for the August rule update? I'm trying to build scenarios where he can use all of those mechs he bought. It is tedious that they're pretty much all Assault mechs...makes the games drag on for a new player.

Where to get miniatures in the future? They seem to all be sold in 4 packs or blind boxes, and I HATE blind boxes. It's just gambling, and I don't gamble. Back in the day, you could buy an overpriced, maybe toxic, lead/pewter miniature for every mech in the game. The boxed sets they sell seem rather limited. What if I want to make a Lance of 3 Panthers and a Grand Dragon? Is the only way to do that to buy 3 House Kurita Ranger Lance Forcepacks at $35 per, and a House Kurita Command Lance Forcepack? That seems way less efficient than the soft-metal-miniatures back in the 90s.

Ok, I think that's all for now. I probably should have spotted him up more combat power than I did...I thought I gave him enough of an edge, especially with 30 years of rust...it was like starting over.