I'd like to run a NATO-vs-Soviet CWC game at a convention, and I'm thinking of adding a mechanic to make for more strategic resource management at a level that the average convention-goer can grasp quickly.
The idea is to add a pool of resources the players on each side would have to negotiate among themselves how to allocate them. Also to encourage thme to try and second-guess their opponents.
This would replace the Air Superiority rules the Conterbattery rules, and a few other rules.
On the table each side would have a template that looks like this:
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/3640/natos.j... Or the Soviet equivalent. At the beginning of each turn, before the Initiative phase, each team (It's a con, so I'm thinking approx. 4 players on each side) has a certain number of "Strategic Asset Tokens" (think poker chips) to allocate among these boxes, like putting down your bets at a craps table. There will be a cardboard hood between the two sides so each does not know how the other is allocating. When both sides are done allocating, the hood is removed, and play proceeds.
The chips are used during the turn to enable artillery and air missions. FAO/FAC leadership rolls are still needed as normal, but once the roll is successful, then the players must "burn" a token to make the support actually happen.
"Called Artillery" and "Close Air Support" are as per the standard CWC rules for requested artillery and airstrikes, respectively.
"Recon" air missions are handled just like regular airstrikes, except that the result is as if a recon unit at the aim point had successfully performed a communications action.
"Combat Air Patrol" represents fighters on-station in the area. When the enemy conducts an air asset mission, the opposing side can burn a CAP token to try and attack that asset. Roll a d6: on a 4-5, the mission is aborted. On a 6, that asset is destroyed and the token itself is removed from the game.
"Mapped artillery" is an artillery strike. When the token is placed, it must be placed on a grid square representing a 1' x 1' (30cm x 30cm) square on the table. It is carried out like an artillery strike except that the target point must be placed in the corresponding area of the map. In return, the scatter dice is reduced by one die.
"Counterbatery fire" is used immediately after the enemy completes an artillery mission. Remove the token from the template and roll a die: on a 5-6, the strategic asset token is removed from the game.
All unused tokens are removed at the end of the turn. At the beginning of their next turn, both sides get all their tokens back except those that were lost due to CAP or counterbattery fire.
Would have to have what a strike package represents spelled out ahead of time; say, NATO CAS air asset is one A-10, Soviet CAS is one SU-25 Frogfoot.
Am also thinking of allowing people to use Special Munitions if they burn two tokens.
What do you think? Would comvention players find this an enjoyable mechanic, or would it be too much overhead?