Power Allocation
Actually, if you must know, power allocation was originally thought up by the guys who created the old text-based computer Star Trek game. You know, the one where you move from quadrant to quadrant killing Klingons.
Lou Zocchi adapted a greatly simplified version of that for his Star Trek Battle Manual miniatures game and later he and I repeated the formula for the Star Fleet Battle Manual version.
This was all back in the early '70s.
Steve Cole then repeated the idea for Star Fleet Battles. Some variation of power allocation has been in nearly all Trek games (including FASA Trek) up til now. It wasn't until Red Alert! and the new CODA/Engage! system that we're finally getting to put power allocation in its place.
"The best diplomat I know is a fully activated phaser bank" -Montgomery Scott