[quote]I can't speak for anybody else, but I've been wondering how the squad would engage these guys without being instagibbed.
[/quote]
I don't kill player characters unless they ask me to job them, and I wouldn't leave all of your GEARs wrecked either. Damaged, certainly, but not scrap. 
And you know - as I keep pointing out, this game is supposed to [b]not[/b] be a horrible, grinding, gritty slog through mechanised warfare. It's supposed to have a bit of fire, spirit, drive and excitement to it... taking risks and going for it in the best traditions of anime mecha-pilots (like Incubus did earlier in the battle) is what I was aiming for in the first place.