A stereotypical party has characters of roughly equal ability levels with different specialties that (ideally) combine into a sum of greater parts.
Has anyone tried a different model where the players are leading a group of less skilled NPC-types? This could be a Seven Samurai-esque situation or Viking warband-esque where the underlings are forming a shield wall. The PC's would have a responsibility to keep the NPC's alive during encounters and distribute loot as largess.
If you've tried it, how well did it work? If not, does it sound fun? What would be the best way of managing the NPC's during an encounter without getting overwhelmed by the mechanics?
