Some order units should be able to receive a new tag called VIP. VIP units can be protected by lesser units both from damage and in some cases locks. The key to VIP is a second tag called protector. There should be 3 levels of protector, each listed on the card. Level 1 is take damage for your VIPs. 2 is take damage and locks for your VIPs. 3 is die for VIP in cases of instant kill cards. Protector would be an order (assigned to a unit to make it VIP. This is shown with a mark on the card.) This creates a wrinkle where you may want to kill the protector quickly before the VIP card gets played. You could also create a unit with an ability called isolate to remove the VIP tag.
Too complicated. Instead, just create units with the "protector" tag, which have the following ability: As long as a protector is on the board, direct damage effect can only target the protector. Locks should still work on other units. This introduction of tank units, makes removal less of a threat to engines.
This is fantastic. Protectors are like a mild immune tag for Engines or Order units. So, they should be costly. Or, there should be only one neutral Gold card with this ability.
The way I explained it was bad. Your right that it sounds more complicated than it should be. You create units with a new order, call it protect. A unit that activates this order gains a visual tag at the bottom like doomed but in the form of a shield. The unit that is protected gets a visual tag as well, along with a number beside it. It is now clear which card is being protected and to what extent. The protector card should be capable of different levels of protection (made clear in the order,) and the higher the level of protection, the increased cost in provisions. The reason you want lock or instant kill protections is because it now forces the opponent to account for the protector. Otherwise, you just lock the VIP and ignore the protector all together. It functions like a remix of armor, but allows a faction identity to be created.