Why I Enjoy Worker Placement Games
One of my favorite worker placement games, Euphoria!
For those of you who don't know, let's outline what "worker placement" means (I'm lifting the following in italics directly from BGG, because they articulate it better than I ever could): "A stylized form of Action Drafting, players place tokens (typically the classic person-shaped "meeple") to trigger an action from a set of actions available to all players, generally one-at-a-time and in turn order. Some games achieve the same effect in reverse: the turn begins with action spaces filled by markers, which are claimed by players for some cost. Each player usually has a limited number of tokens with which to participate in the process, although these may increase as the game progresses.
From a thematic standpoint, the game pieces which players use to draft actions often represent "workers" of a given trade (this category of mechanism, however, is not necessarily limited to or by this thematic representation). In other words, players often thematically "place workers" to show which actions have been drafted by individual players. For example, in Agricola each player starts with two pieces representing family members that can be placed on action spaces to collect resources or take other actions like building fences. When someone places a piece on a given space, that action is no longer available until the next round.
(*) The use of the word "usually" in this context is a somewhat controversial point of discussion. For purposes of BGG classification, "action blocking" is a defining element of worker placement. In that case, there must always be a limit on the number of times a single action may be drafted each round."
Ok. I thought it was worth sharing (or stealing, depending on how you look at it) that because rarely do you find a game that features purely one game mechanic. Oftentimes, we refer to a game by one mechanic ("it's a worker placement game," or "it's a deck-building game"), but only because it's the primary mechanic we think of when we think of that game. The vast majority of games sees crossover of different mechanics. For instance, while I consider Everdell to be primarily a worker placement game, it also features a tableau-building mechanic that is integral to the game. But I usually refer to Everdell as "a worker placement game."
All of that to say that the whole schtick can sometimes be confusing because what we think of as one mechanic or game archetype is actually another or some kind of hybrid we hadn't previously considered. So I wanted to be clear about the mechanic and how it is featured in games before I talked a little bit about why it's likely my favorite game mechanic.
One of the first board games I played that I credit with getting me into "the heavier side of the hobby" is Puerto Rico. I'm not sure if that was truly the gateway or not, but it's sort of how I remember it. I also know that, at the time, I thought of it as a worker placement game because of the "colonist" discs players place on their boards (For anyone who doesn't know the game, while I may really enjoy the hell out of it, the little wooden discs are absolutely slaves and NOT colonists; this has been discussed online a lot and the newest upcoming edition claims to fix the problem. I want to ensure we really acknowledge the shortcomings of games, even when we enjoy them.). But really, Puerto Rico is primarily an action drafting game. Honestly, the mechanics are ultimately pretty similar because in either game, when a player takes an action, that action is usually either unavailable to other players (worker placement) or other players get to perform a lesser version of the drafted action (action drafting game).
So I can say with certainty that, at first, I determined worker placement to be my favorite game archetype simply because I loved Puerto Rico and I thought of it as a worker placement game. I'd later learn that I was mistaken (though I still enjoy the game!), but by then, it was already in my head that I enjoy worker placement games. Then I moved to St Louis and started playing *real* worker placement games because I had already thought I liked that games archetype best. It sort of ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy, as one of the first true worker placement games I ended up playing was one my friend John introduced me to: Viticulture. A board game about making wine does sound supremely boring and/or silly to most people, and I was definitely one of them. But I was told it's a worker placement game, so I was absolutely down to try it. Turns out that I thoroughly enjoy Viticulture and was all too happy to buy my own copy of it!
So what is it about the worker placement mechanic/archetype that I so enjoy? I think there's an element of "this is the first game mechanic I thought I loved," so weirdly enough, some of it is probably...not quite nostalgia, but it having some sort of personal milestone significance for me. It's a big part of what introduced me to a larger world of gaming.
I think I also really like how open worker placement games tend to be. Sometimes there's some hidden information (other players don't know what cards I have in my hand when we're playing Everdell, players don't know which cadaver cards will come up from round to round while playing Abomination, and there's no way to predict what benefit I'll get from placing my worker dice on the Generator in Euphoria because the total number of pips occupying the space dictates what my benefit will be!), but overall, players know which spaces are available on the board. We can plan what we will do from round to round because we know the approach we need to take in order to progress. But it behooves players to come up with at least a couple of plans because other players may either pursue the same approach to victory or may have noticed you tipping your hand as to your plans, and thus choose to occupy that space with their own worker to deprive you of reaping its benefits this turn. But worker placement games rarely reward consistent hate-drafting, and I appreciate that. In other words, I can expend a lot of effort trying to block you, but as long as you don't stubbornly cling to a strategy that won't work, you can circumvent me and outscore me (as you expended energy scoring points while I expended energy trying to stop you from scoring points; it's akin to playing prevent defense to protect a 2 point lead - that strategy never works...).
Take one of my more recent forays into a game day (recapped here for your convenience!): I figured Ted had our first game of Anachrony in the bag. I'd played more conservatively than he had, and he really seemed to be squeezing each turn for as many VP as humanly possible. I felt like I had some wasted actions and some foolhardy endeavors. But I'd had fun and figured I could at least make a run at second or something. Plus, the number of times I'd seen Chad tally up points at the end and blow everyone else out of the water was something I don't even bother tracking anymore! So it was a surprise when I came out tied for first with Ted, and the gap between first and last was a mere 5 points. Five! That's it! I like how frequently worker placement games can allow for that kind of unexpected photo finish without something completely lucky shifting the entire complexion of the game. As much as I love Armada, I've seen a couple of ill-timed critical damage cards and a short streak of hot dice completely flip a game around in only a couple of activations. And while that is its own sort of fun, there's also something about it that can feel arbitrary when you're on the losing end of it. Since worker placement games seem to feature a lot of open information (at least, the ones that I play) and there are so many paths to victory, it can often feel as though skill really does win the day more often than not. And more than that, newer players can see how other players win because it all happens right in front of them.
I think worker placement games can be intimidating for new players, so I don't know that it's a good way to introduce new people to board games. It depends on the player, of course. It helps that there's usually so much open information in these kinds of games, but it can also feel really overwhelming. There are so many choices, and it's easy to fall into analysis paralysis, feeling as though there's "a right move, if only I can look long enough to find it!" There can be a lot of number crunching to figure out if the more complex and attractive move gets you more points than the obvious and far less sexy move. In the case of worker placement games, the more skilled players are far, far more likely to win. Honestly, had I *started* a deep dive into the hobby with an actual worker placement game instead of mistaking Puerto Rico for one, it's possible I'd have been scared off. I wouldn't say likely, but I would argue that it is possible. But luckily, that wasn't my experience. I think there are a ton of worker placement games out there, and not all of them are good. I also think that it's easy to believe one does not enjoy the mechanic because of who you might play the game with (maybe they block your every move, maybe they just take forever to make a decision because they have to analyze every single possibility, thus leading to a 3 hour game). But ultimately, I think the mechanic is a really strong one, and its prevalence in games is evidence of how much fun it is when properly leveraged in the design of a game.
I'm always open to new worker placement titles, so don't hesitate to drop me a line! I love adding new titles to my ever-growing list of 'em!
Okay, I might have had some say in choosing the nerd life...
All of that to say that the whole schtick can sometimes be confusing because what we think of as one mechanic or game archetype is actually another or some kind of hybrid we hadn't previously considered. So I wanted to be clear about the mechanic and how it is featured in games before I talked a little bit about why it's likely my favorite game mechanic.
One of the first board games I played that I credit with getting me into "the heavier side of the hobby" is Puerto Rico. I'm not sure if that was truly the gateway or not, but it's sort of how I remember it. I also know that, at the time, I thought of it as a worker placement game because of the "colonist" discs players place on their boards (For anyone who doesn't know the game, while I may really enjoy the hell out of it, the little wooden discs are absolutely slaves and NOT colonists; this has been discussed online a lot and the newest upcoming edition claims to fix the problem. I want to ensure we really acknowledge the shortcomings of games, even when we enjoy them.). But really, Puerto Rico is primarily an action drafting game. Honestly, the mechanics are ultimately pretty similar because in either game, when a player takes an action, that action is usually either unavailable to other players (worker placement) or other players get to perform a lesser version of the drafted action (action drafting game).
I don't know that Everdell is my *favorite* worker placement game, but I can say with confidence that it's the one I pull off the shelf most frequently and I am always happy to play it.
So what is it about the worker placement mechanic/archetype that I so enjoy? I think there's an element of "this is the first game mechanic I thought I loved," so weirdly enough, some of it is probably...not quite nostalgia, but it having some sort of personal milestone significance for me. It's a big part of what introduced me to a larger world of gaming.
I think I also really like how open worker placement games tend to be. Sometimes there's some hidden information (other players don't know what cards I have in my hand when we're playing Everdell, players don't know which cadaver cards will come up from round to round while playing Abomination, and there's no way to predict what benefit I'll get from placing my worker dice on the Generator in Euphoria because the total number of pips occupying the space dictates what my benefit will be!), but overall, players know which spaces are available on the board. We can plan what we will do from round to round because we know the approach we need to take in order to progress. But it behooves players to come up with at least a couple of plans because other players may either pursue the same approach to victory or may have noticed you tipping your hand as to your plans, and thus choose to occupy that space with their own worker to deprive you of reaping its benefits this turn. But worker placement games rarely reward consistent hate-drafting, and I appreciate that. In other words, I can expend a lot of effort trying to block you, but as long as you don't stubbornly cling to a strategy that won't work, you can circumvent me and outscore me (as you expended energy scoring points while I expended energy trying to stop you from scoring points; it's akin to playing prevent defense to protect a 2 point lead - that strategy never works...).
I've only had the privilege of playing Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein once. But I was very happy to add it to my shelf and I'm looking forward to playing it again soon!
Which leads me to one of the primary joys I find in worker placement games: there are almost always a variety of ways one can win the game. When I play a game like Adrenaline, I have to get points from kills. *Period* When I play a game like Armada, I can score points from killing enemy ships and squadrons, or I can score points from objectives, or I can rely on a combination of both. These are games I enjoy, but the actual paths to victory are pretty narrow. Even a big 4X game like Twilight Imperium can offer rather narrow paths to victory because I can score some private objective points, but ultimately, I must either score public objectives or hold Mecatol Rex to win, and depending on the objective draw, that's not always easy. But when it comes to a lot of worker placement games, there are many different paths to victory, and it's not always clear as to who will win until the end of the game. I really dig that! I want to have some idea of how I'm doing, but it's nice to not have anything locked up until the end because it gives us a reason to maximize points in the last round or two when the conclusion of the game is still in question.Take one of my more recent forays into a game day (recapped here for your convenience!): I figured Ted had our first game of Anachrony in the bag. I'd played more conservatively than he had, and he really seemed to be squeezing each turn for as many VP as humanly possible. I felt like I had some wasted actions and some foolhardy endeavors. But I'd had fun and figured I could at least make a run at second or something. Plus, the number of times I'd seen Chad tally up points at the end and blow everyone else out of the water was something I don't even bother tracking anymore! So it was a surprise when I came out tied for first with Ted, and the gap between first and last was a mere 5 points. Five! That's it! I like how frequently worker placement games can allow for that kind of unexpected photo finish without something completely lucky shifting the entire complexion of the game. As much as I love Armada, I've seen a couple of ill-timed critical damage cards and a short streak of hot dice completely flip a game around in only a couple of activations. And while that is its own sort of fun, there's also something about it that can feel arbitrary when you're on the losing end of it. Since worker placement games seem to feature a lot of open information (at least, the ones that I play) and there are so many paths to victory, it can often feel as though skill really does win the day more often than not. And more than that, newer players can see how other players win because it all happens right in front of them.
I need to play Orleans once or twice more before I decide to buy my own copy (especially because the people with whom I'm most likely to play it already own their own copies), but I really enjoyed playing it the first time I did!
I'm always open to new worker placement titles, so don't hesitate to drop me a line! I love adding new titles to my ever-growing list of 'em!
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