Game Mechanic: Worker Placement

Choices, choices, choices...but what's the best choice to make?  Maybe I should gather some wood today, or perhaps I should go buy some cattle, but, I can't forget about feeding my hungry people, oh what choice to take?

I've decided to start talking about game mechanics with worker placement. Some of my earliest hobby games involved this mechanic and surprisingly enough, it works well in many two player games.  I enjoy the competition of worker placement games and the sense of accomplishment that comes at the end of a game of gathering resources to build something bigger.

Hallmarks of Worker Placement

Workers

As the name suggests, players are given a specific number of workers.  You may have farmers, dock workers, cavemen, painters, and so forth.  Any type of worker that fulfils the theme could be used.  These workers are limited in number.  Some games allow you to gain more workers, others only give a certain amount for the entire game.

Pillars of the Earth Workers

 Limited Actions with Competition

Using your workers you will choose from a limited number of action spaces or cards.  You and your opponents are in fierce competition for these spaces since all are important in order to win the game.  Using your workers you must optimize your actions and block your opponents from doing certain actions.

Another type of worker placement may only allow you limited number of turns but give you more options.  In these games you must choose wisely since time is limited.

 

Location Choices in Agricola

Resources

Your workers are gathering resources.  These resources can vary depending on the theme.  For example in the game Fresco you are a painter restoring a Fresco and your workers are gathering painting supplies.  In the game Agricola you are a farmer and you may be gathering wheat, plowing your field or building fences for your pasture.  Sometimes you must gather multiple resources that are combined to build something else later. 

Wheat, brick, wood and other resources

Player Order is Important

Since you have a limited number of choices or turns player order becomes a crucial part of worker placement games.  You don't want to always be blocked from an important action.  Also you want to make sure your opponent doesn't get the resource they desperately need.  So going first becomes very important.  In some games you may even be forced to use a valuable action to in order to take the first player role.

Fresco Painters