Skip to content

Best Worker Placement Board Games 2024- Our Top 15 Picks

best worker placement board games collage

An aspect of the board game hobby that’s particularly intriguing is the fact that an incredible number of games continue to be released each year, many of which borrow core game mechanisms that have been utilized in previous games, and build upon them.

Worker placement is a mechanism that has been featured in many games over the years, yet designers still manage to find ways to be innovative and add unique twists to make their games feel original.

While the concept of worker placement continues to take different forms, at its core is a mechanism of action selection, according to BoardGameGeek.

Put simply, players in worker-placement games typically take turns selecting an action, or receiving a benefit, which then either becomes unavailable or more expensive to other players. As you will see from the list below of both old and new games, there are many different ways to integrate this idea into a board game design.

Whether you are a new or well-seasoned gamer, here are 15 excellent worker-placement games you’ll want to check out.

1. Agricola A Classic Worker-Placement Farming Game

As a farmer in post-plague Central Europe, you are attempting to build the best farmyard in your land by building structures, breeding animals, and sowing fields………..

You and your spouse also look to grow your family and with some children to help around the house and farm. But all of this will be no easy task; in Agricola, you must plan and manage your resources wisely, and – most importantly – be able to feed your family each harvest.

Agricola board game box cover

Agricola at a Glance

Game Type
Animal & Farming Theme,
Economic , Advantage Token,
Automatic Resource Growth,
Card Drafting, Enclosure,
Solo/Solitaire Game
Turn Order: Claim Action,
Variable Player Powers,
Worker Placement
Play Time
30 - 150 mins
Skill/Complexity (3.8 - 5)
Medium - Heavy
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Lookout Games
and others
Published
2007
Categories
Strategy
Players
1 - 5
Cost
$59.99
Our Rating
9.2/10

Agricola, published in 2007 by the well-renowned designer Uwe Rosenburg, is one of the earliest worker-placement games, and still manages to hold its place in many gamers’ top board game lists.

One of the earliest worker-placement games, and still manages to hold its place in many gamers’ top board game lists.

The Gameplay – In Agricola, players begin the game with farm boards that are mostly empty, save for a two-room hut and two workers. Players also begin with a hand of seven minor improvement cards and seven occupation cards. The game is played over the course of 14 rounds, and in each round, players take turns performing one single available action, such as plowing and sowing fields, renovating their home, building stables and fences, playing occupation and improvement cards, collecting resources, adding animals to their farm, and growing their family.

The game begins with a small number of actions available, but more action spaces are revealed with each successive round. A major challenge in the game comes with the requirement for players to feed their family (at the end of rounds 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14) by paying two food for each family member on their farm; if unable to do so, a player must draw one begging card for each food they cannot pay, each of which will provide -3 points at the end of the game. In other words, growing the family will allow players to perform more actions in around, but will be more difficult to maintain and could provide negative points at the end of the game if a player does not plan accordingly.

At the end of the game, players get points for their fields, pastures, grain/vegetables, animals, fenced stables, hut/house rooms, family members, and minor/major improvement cards. They can also lose points for having a very low number of items in many of these categories, and, of course, for their begging cards.

Agricola would be a good choice for gamers who enjoy strategy games with difficult and agonizing decisions, and enjoy rigid restrictions within gameplay that they must navigate in order to be successful. That said, the restrictive nature of the game is also one of its top criticisms from gamers; namely, the feed-your-people requirement is too punishing, and that the scoring system requires players to diversify rather than specialize.

Ultimately, whether you love or dislike this game will ultimately boil down to your personal game-style preference and whether you enjoy a lot of flexibility in a game or prefer the game to provide you boundaries to help guide your decisions………….

Either way, because of the fact that Agricola is a classic game, and has influenced many games in the hobby since it was released, it is definitely worth at least trying to appreciate its legacy.

2. Rajas of the Ganges A Race to Make Two Tracks Collide

Sometimes all it takes for a game to feel memorable and clever is the slightest twist to an aspect of gameplay that goes against what people are used to……….

Take scoring tracks, for instance. In most games, players have one scoring marker that they typically use to move around the periphery of the board to keep track of how many points they have. Rajas of the Ganges, however, is a game that takes the standard score track we’ve all been used to in a game, and turns it upside down, making it a more exciting and focal aspect of the game.

Rajas of The Ganges Board Game box cover

Rajas of the Ganges at a Glance

Game Type
Economic, Territory Building,
Connections, Dice Rolling,
Network and Route Building,
Race, Tile Placement,
Worker Placement
Play Time
45 - 75 mins
Skill/Complexity (3 - 5)
Medium
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
HUCH!
Published
2017
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 4
Cost
$49.99
Our Rating
9/10

The Gameplay – In Rajas of the Ganges, designed by Inka & Markus Brand, players move around two point-tracks – money and fame – in opposite directions around the player board. In the game, players take turns placing workers to perform actions, and many actions require players to discard a die of a particular color or value, or money, in order to take the action. When players acquire dice, they immediately roll them to determine their value, and place them on a free space in their own supply (on their Kali statue).

In Rajas of the Ganges, designed by Inka & Markus Brand, players move around two point-tracks – money and fame – in opposite directions around the player board.

And, more Gameplay – There are many different types of actions players can take in the game, including adding tiles to their province, generating income from their province board, gaining additional dice, and moving up a river track which provides additional benefits and bonuses. Players begin the game with three workers, but can gain additional workers by moving up either the fame, money, or river track. The end of the game is triggered once one player has managed to make both of their point markers meet, and at the end of that round, the player who has created the biggest difference between their two markers after making the two pass each other wins the game.

Rajas of the Ganges fits into the mid-weight spectrum of worker-placement games (with a rating of 2.86 on BoardGameGeek’s weight scale), and would be a good fit for gamers looking for a game with familiar mechanisms but with a fresh spin and a certain aspect that makes it stand out.

The scoring mechanism of using two different scoring tracks, and trying to get the two markers to meet, is one aspect that is different and adds a dimension to decision making in the game that is quite interesting; do you focus heavily on one track and try to move it around the board as quickly as possible, or do you try and balance the two in order to meet half way?

If this all sounds appealing to you, Rajas of the Ganges is definitely worth checking out.

3. Tzolk’in the Mayan Calendar A Game with a Memorable Table Presence

The award-winning Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar, designed by Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini, is a game that is extremely well-known for its visual table presence – featuring a mechanical game board with spinning inter-connected gears. It’s certainly a game that, once you see and move the gears on the board yourself, you are very unlikely to forget it.

In Tzolk’in, players attempt to claim victory for their Mayan tribe by gaining points through status on three different god tracks, delivering crystal skulls to Chichen Itza, and constructing monuments. Corn is the main resource in the game, which players mainly use to place workers, and feed workers at certain points in the game.

In Tzolk’in, players attempt to claim victory for their Mayan tribe by gaining points through status on three different god tracks, delivering crystal skulls to Chichen Itza, and constructing monuments.

Tzolk’in The Mayan Calendar board game

Tzolk’in the Mayan Calendar at a Glance

Game Type
Ancient Theme,
Civilization, Economic,
Bias, End Game Bonuses,
Turn Order: Claim Action, Worker Placement
Play Time
90 mins
Skill/Complexity (3.8 - 5)
Medium - Heavy
Age
13+
Publisher(s)
Czech Games Edition
and Others
Published
2012
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 4
Cost
$49.99
Our Rating
8.9/10

The Gameplay – The main idea in the game is that players take turns either placing or retrieving workers from action spaces, which are located on one of five spinning gears on the game board. To place a worker, a player chooses one of the five action gears, and places their worker on the lowest-numbered available action space (the higher up on the gear the action space is, the more corn the player has to pay to place their worker there). A player must also pay corn depending on the number of workers they place on their turn.

Alternatively, a player can choose to retrieve any number of workers from the board and gain the benefit of their current action location, which can include resources, crystal skulls, or advancement on god or tech tracks. At the end of each round, the central gear is advanced one tooth, which moves all other gears forward one space. Typically, the higher up one of the gears a worker is when a player retrieves that worker, the greater the benefit. The game ends once the central gear has made one complete rotation, and whoever has the most points is the winner of the game.

Time management is a huge aspect of Tzolk’in, and one that requires a significant amount of forward-planning. On that note, the game can also be quite punishing to poor planning and decision making; players can be left without corn or resources to feed their workers or perform actions, and that player can miss out on significant scoring opportunities………

That being said, if you are looking for a heavier worker-placement game that can be rewarding with multiple plays as you explore different strategies, then you may very well find Tzolk’in to be a satisfying game, and one that you look forward to playing whenever you get a chance.

4. Viticulture – Become a Successful Winery Owner

Sometimes a board game’s theme can make it easy to draw the attention and interest of other people when you want to play, and Viticulture can definitely be one of these games.

If you are someone who enjoys wine, then you may want further immerse yourself in the theme by pouring yourself a glass before you sit down to enjoy this game. Even if you don’t enjoy wine, there are still plenty of aspects of this game that make it worth trying.

Sometimes a board game’s theme can make it easy to draw the attention and interest of other people when you want to play, and Viticulture can definitely be one of these games.

Game Type
Economic, Farming,
Contracts, Solo/Solitaire,
Turn Order: Auction Victory,
Points as a Resource, Worker
Placement
Play Time
45 - 90 mins
Skill/Complexity (3 - 5)
Medium
Age
13+
Publisher(s)
Stonemaier Games and
Others
Published
2015
Categories
Strategy
Players
1 - 6
Cost
$54.99 approx
Our Rating
9.2/10
Viticulture Essential Edition board game box cover

In Viticulture, designed by Jamey Stegmaier, Morten Monrad Pedersen, and Alan Stone, players compete to have the most successful vineyard in Tuscany by harvesting grapes, making wine, and fulfilling wine contracts, in order to gain the most points. Players begin with a number of workers (including one grande workers), structures, and money as determined by their Mama & Papa cards that they receive at the beginning of the game (the cards provide a choice in terms of what they receive). The is played over several years (rounds), consisting of four seasons.

In the spring, players select their location on the wake-up track, which provides bonuses but also determines player order; the earlier a player wakes up, the earlier in turn order they will be for that round. In the summer, players perform worker-placement actions on the left-side of the game board. In the fall, players gain a summer or winter visitor card. Then, in the winter, players perform actions on the right side of the game board. Actions can include building structures to improve future actions, playing summer/winter visitor cards, gaining money from giving winery tours, drawing cards, planting vines, harvesting vines, making wine, and fulfilling contracts.

When a player places a worker, they select an available space at that action (the number of players determines the number of action spaces available at any given action), and can receive an additional bonus for using certain action spaces. If there are no action spaces currently available at a certain location, a player can use their grande worker to perform that action (without gaining a bonus). The end of the game is triggered once a player reaches 20 VP, and at the end of that round, whoever has the most points is the winner.

There are a few aspects of Viticulture that make it stand out and be a continued favorite of many hobby board gamers (the game is currently ranked #23 on BoardGameGeek)………….

First, the fact that the board is divided into different seasons means that players must plan how to use their workers wisely over the course of an entire round, since they don’t retrieve their workers for both summer and winter until the end of the year when the round resets.

Second, the grande worker is a useful resource that players can utilize, but determining when the best time to use it can be a difficult choice to make; using it too early in the year will mean that they might be blocked from an important action later in the year, and saving it for too late in the year might mean that it won’t be as powerful of a resource (i.e., if they just end up using it as a standard worker rather than to access a blocked location).

Lastly, the visitor cards provide powerful and interesting bonuses that feel very rewarding when played, and they can certainly give a player guidance in terms of the decisions they make during a round.

If you don’t mind a bit of luck-of-the-draw with regards to these cards, then this is definitely a game to look into. The expansions, including Tuscany and small-box expansions of additional visitor cards, all make the game very replayable and add even more interesting dimensions to the game.

5. Targi A Two-Player Worker-Placement Game

Worker-placement games are not usually known for working well at the 2-player count; with fewer action spaces to compete for, these games can often feel too “open” or simply less competitive than at higher player counts. This is definitely not the case in Targi, a game designed by Andreas Steiger, specifically designed to be played with only two players.

Worker-placement games are not usually known for working well at the 2-player count.

Targi game box cover

Targi at a Glance

Game Type
Card Game, End Game Bonuses,
Modular Board, Set Collection,
Turn Order: Progressive, Worker
Placement
Play Time
60 mins
Skill/Complexity (2.5 - 5)
Light - Medium
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Kosmos and Others
Published
2012
Categories
Strategy / 2 Players
Players
2
Cost
$19.99
Our Rating
8.9/10

In Targi, two players lead nomadic tribes in attempts to gain the most VPs by the end of the game. The game board consists of a 5×5 grid of cards, which is comprised of edge cards and tribe/goods cards at the center. The robber, which serves as a time tracker for the game, begins at the top left of the grid and moves forward one space at the beginning of each round. When the robber reaches a corner card, players must suffer a raid and pay the necessary costs as indicated on the card.

During a round, players take turns placing one of three workers onto an edge card; they perform the action at the end of the round, not immediately. There are a few restrictions that determine where a player can place their worker. They cannot place their worker: on a space occupied by another worker, directly across from an opponent’s worker, or on the space currently occupied by the robber. Once players have placed all workers, they place one token of their color on each goods/tribe card in the center of the grid where their placement of workers creates an intersection. Then, in player order, they carry out their actions in any order they choose, including actions on the edge cards, and from the center cards where they have a marker placed.

Players place tribe cards into their tableau (consisting of a 3×4 grid of available spaces) by paying the required cost indicated on the card. These cards can provide immediate or ongoing benefits, as well as end-game points. Players can also gain points through goods cards, and by trading in goods/coins for VPs by using edge card actions.

The game ends either once a player has placed their 12th tribe card into their tableau, or when the robber has completed its way around the board. Players count up their VPs from their tribe cards, and VPs from their supply. They also gain additional bonus points for having a row of tribe cards of the same type (4 points), or for each row consisting of four different tribe card types (1 point). The player with the most points wins the game.

If you are looking for an excellent 2-player game, then Targi may very well suit that category well for your collection.

While Targi has relatively simple rules to learn and explain, there are certainly a lot of very challenging choices to make in the game. For instance, the worker-placement mechanism with the edge cards and creating intersections in the middle of the grid is an interesting puzzle, and one that lends itself well to strategically placing workers in order to deny access to a good/tribe card you know your opponent needs.

Furthermore, if you enjoy tableau-building, ongoing bonuses, and resource management, Targi manages to fit all of these elements into a very small and portable box.

6. Manhattan Project: Energy Empire Become a Leader in 20th Century Energy Production

In the decades after WWII, nation leaders attempt to manage energy production and lead their nation to prosperity by building power plants, researching, educating workers, and managing resources – all while trying to keep pollution levels low.

In Manhattan Project: Energy Empire, designed by Tom Jolly and Luke Laurie, players attempt to gain the most points at the end of the game through their buildings, achievements, energy dice, empty (unpolluted) spaces on their pollution board, and their place on the United Nations track.

The Manhattan Project Energy Empire Game

Players attempt to gain the most points at the end of the game through their buildings, achievements, energy dice, empty (unpolluted) spaces on their pollution board, and their place on the United Nations track.

Manhattan Project: Energy Empire at a Glance

Game Type
Civilization, Economic,
Dice Rolling, Worker Placement,
Different Worker Types
Play Time
60 - 120 mins
Skill/Complexity (3 - 5)
Medium
Age
13+
Publisher(s)
Minion Games
Published
2016
Categories
Strategy
Players
1 - 5
Cost
$58.99
Our Rating
8.8/10

At the beginning of this game, players select one of two nation cards and achievement tiles. The nation they select determines their starting resources before their first turn.

The Gameplay – The main flow of the game is that players take turns placing workers on the main game board to perform actions, paying the indicated resource cost. The game has a unique take on worker placement in that players can place a worker on a space already occupied by another player, but in doing so they must create the highest stack at that action space, consisting of their worker plus energy tokens from their supply. A player can place a bigger stack than is necessary if they wish to make it more costly for other players. Next, a player can activate their own structures and/or their nation card. The structures must be of the same type as the location where they performed their main game-board action (i.e., government, industry, or commerce).

Instead of using their turn to place a worker, a player can instead take a “generate” turn, in which they can claim an achievement, retrieve their workers (and lose any energy tokens they used), gain petroleum dice (by discarding oil from their supply) to be used only on this turn, and then rolling any number of their available energy dice to gain energy and potentially pollution to add to their player mat from the global impact track. If a player draws the last tile in a pile of pollution tokens (of which there are six), they trigger a global impact which causes a particular row on players’ pollution boards to be scored, a reset of the structure market, as well as an event that affects all players. The final round is triggered once the final pollution token has been removed from the global impact track, and at the end of that round, whoever has the most VPs wins the game.

Despite the fact that Manhattan Project: Energy Empire is a sequel to the original Manhattan Project game released in 2012, Energy Empire has a very different feel and is an entirely different game apart from the fact that it is a worker-placement and resource-management game.

The worker-placement mechanism used in this game will certainly feel fresh for those who have played many similar games, and the challenge of trying to work toward your strategic goals while trying to minimize the impact of pollution is certainly a key aspect of the game that makes it unique.

If you find the theme of energy production and environmental waste mitigation to be intriguing, then this is likely going to be a game you enjoy.

7. Lords of Waterdeep – Worker-Placement Meets Dungeons & Dragons

When you think of Euro-games with mechanisms like worker placement, you probably don’t think of Dungeon & Dragons (D&D). Lords of Waterdeep, however, is a game where you won’t need a dungeon master to play a game, or necessarily an appreciation for D&D – but if you are someone who likes this sort of theme then you will certainly appreciate the locations and references in the game.

In Lords of Waterdeep, players attempt to become the most powerful secret ruler of the city in the Forgotten Realms by sending agents to recruit adventurers (i.e., gain resource cubes). The goal of the game is to have the most VPs over the course of eight rounds of the game, by going on quests, building buildings, and playing intrigue cards.

In Lords of Waterdeep, players attempt to become the most powerful secret ruler of the city in the Forgotten Realms.

Lords of waterdeep board game box cover
Game Type
Fantasy, City Building,
Card Drafting, Hidden Roles,
Worker Placement
Play Time
60 - 120 mins
Skill/Complexity (2.5 - 5)
Medium
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Wizards of the Coast
Published
2012
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 5 (3 - 4 is perfect)
Cost
$49.99 approx
Our Rating
8.4/10

The Gameplay – On a player’s turn, they assign one of their available agents from their supply to an unoccupied action space on the board, and performing its associated action. For instance, the Builder’s Hall allows players to build buildings, and Waterdeep Harbor allows players to play intrigue cards which can provide a benefit at their opponents’ expense. After assigning an agent, the active player then has the choice to optionally complete one quest by discarding the indicated resources. By completing quests, players gain victory points as well as other bonuses like resources, gold, or intrigue cards. One unique aspect of the game is that when a player builds a building, it provides an action space that is available to all players (not just the player who built it). However, whenever a player sends an agent to a building that another player owns, the owner gains a benefit listed on the card.

If you are looking for a worker-placement game that is on the lighter end of the spectrum, or one that would serve well as a game to play with people who haven’t played many modern board games, then Lords of Waterdeep may be one to consider.

With a weight rating of 2.46 on BoardGameGeek, and a current overall BoardGameGeek ranking of #64, it’s no wonder that Lords of Waterdeep continues to make many hobby gamers’ top lists of worker-placement games and holds the reputation of being an accessible entry into the genre.

8. Stone Age A Modern Family Worker-Placement Classic

While hobby board gamers enjoy complex games often with their friends who share the same passion for board games, sometimes it’s fun to play games with friends and family who maybe haven’t played many modern designer games. Stone Age, designed by Bernd Brunnhofer, is a worker-placement game that works well in these sorts of casual gaming scenarios.

Being currently ranked as the #13 game in the family genre on BoardGameGeek, Stone Age has maintained its place as a staple in many board gamers’ and families’ game closets since it was originally released in 2008.

Ranked as the #13 game in the family genre on BoardGameGeek, Stone Age has maintained its place as a staple in many board gamers’ and families’ game closets since it was originally released in 2008.

Stone Age board game box cover

Stone Age at a Glance

Game Type
Prehistoric Theme, Tile
Placement, Dice Rolling,
Worker Placement,
Resources

Play Time
60 - 90 mins
Skill/Complexity (2.5 - 5)
Light to Medium
Age
10+
Publisher(s)
Z-Man and others
Published
2008
Categories
Strategy / Family
Players
2 - 4 (4 is best)
Manual
Official Rules PDF
Our Rating
9/10
Cost
approx $44.99

In Stone Age, players act as leaders of a tribe attempting to advance toward new levels of civilization. To do so, they recruit the assistance of ten of their tribe members to go out and perform different types of work to help the tribe succeed at various aspects of life, like hunting, gathering, agriculture, tool-making, and constructing buildings. The goal of Stone Age is to have the most points at the end of the game, which is triggered by the depletion of either the civilization card deck or a pile or building tiles.

The Gameplay – A round consists of players placing workers on the board by selecting one action location and placing one or more of their workers at that location. Some locations allow for only one worker, while others allow for multiple. After each player has placed all their workers, then players take turns performing all of their actions on the board in any order of their choosing. Finally, players must feed their people at the cost of one food per worker; any player who cannot pay this cost can substitute resources or lose 10 VPs. Some of the actions on the board include gaining an additional worker, gaining tool tokens which help with dice rolling, buying a civilization cards which provide end-game bonus points, and constructing buildings which also provide points. There are also resource-gathering locations (for wood, clay, stone, and gold) where players roll dice equal to the number of workers at that location, and then divide the dice value by a number depending on the type of resource (3 for wood, 4 for clay, 5 for stone, and 6 for gold). Players can also increase their dice value by 1 point for each tool they wish to use.

Stone Age is a game that is very easy to teach to players and the ways in which players earn points through buildings and civilization cards is easy to grasp. The dice rolling involved does add an element of luck to the game, which can be a good thing for new players, but hobby gamers will likely appreciate the luck-mitigation element with the tools to offset those bad dice rolls.

If you are looking for a game to bring to your next family gathering that works well with both casual gamers and hobby gamers alike, then Stone Age might be a good fit for you.

9. Architects of the West Kingdom – A Game Where You Can Send Workers to Jail

Some critics of Euro-style board games dislike the fact that they often feature very low player interaction. While worker-placement games do allow players to block off their opponents and deny useful action spaces or resources, there often isn’t much players can do to adversely affect their opponents.

Architects of the West Kingdom, designed by Shem Phillips and S J Macdonald, is a game that takes some elements of standard worker-placement mechanisms, but offers some changes that make it lean just slightly enough in the direction of more player interaction to potentially appeal to more types of gamers – though not in an intimidating or evil-spirited way to turn away those who prefer low levels of player interaction.

Architects of the West Kingdom, designed by Shem Phillips and S J Macdonald, is a game that takes some elements of standard worker-placement mechanisms, but offers some changes.

Architects of the West Kingdom Game

Architects of the West Kingdom at a Glance

Game Type
City Building, Medieval
Theme, Drafting,
Solo/Solitaire, Variable
Player Powers, Worker
Placement
Play Time
60 - 80 mins
Skill/Complexity (2.8 - 5)
Medium
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Garphill Games and
Others
Published
2018
Categories
Strategy
Players
1 - 5
Cost
$35.99
Our Rating
8.9/10

In Architects of the West Kingdom, players are royal architects at the end of the Carolingian Empire who compete to gain the favor of the king through their good work in the kingdom. The winner of the game will be the player who gains the most VPs, primarily through constructing buildings and helping to contribute to the construction of the cathedral, as well as advancing on the virtue track.

There are a few aspects of the game that make this game different from other worker-placement games……….

First, unlike other games where players begin with a few workers and can gain additional workers over the course of the game, in this game players begin with all 20 of their workers from the beginning. Players take turns placing workers, and the game features a “worker investment” mechanism in which actions become increasingly powerful with the number of workers a player has present at an action space……….

Second, this game allows players to capture an opponent’s workers at a given action space and hold them on their player board by taking the town centre action. On a later action, they can send these workers to the prison – and gain 1 silver per worker for doing so. In order to retrieve their workers from prison, a player can visit the guardhouse.

Because this game does not have rounds or phases of the game dedicated to players all workers from the board and starting a new round with a fresh supply, retrieving workers from prison is the main way to free up workers to take actions on the board……….

Lastly, this game has a virtue track, which serves as an indication of a player’s good nature (or shady intentions). While being low on the virtue track can cause negative VPs at the end of the game, it also provides certain benefits. For instance, having less than 10 virtue allows players to visit the black market and gain goods; additionally, if a player has less than 3 virtue, they do not have to pay taxes when purchasing certain items. However, a player with less than 4 virtue cannot contribute to building the cathedral, which is a major source of points in the game.

While there is certainly more going on in terms of gameplay in Architects of the West Kingdom, it should be apparent that this game offers a fresh new spin on the worker-placement genre that will appeal to many types of gamers.

The ability to capture other opponents’ workers and then send them to prison brings an element of direct player interaction to a genre not known for this type of gameplay. That being said, taking this action isn’t completely mean-natured as it can give a player a good amount of money, which is useful for achieving their own goals. For instance, if a player has accumulated a large number of workers at a certain action space, they are pretty much guaranteed to be captured by another player. However, getting your workers captured isn’t necessarily a terrible thing as you will eventually retrieve them from prison – and free them up to take new actions.

If you are looking for a solid mid-weight Euro game that feels quite the opposite of “more of the same,” then Architects of the West Kingdom may be one that you very much enjoy. If you are interested in the theme of building cathedrals, then the next game on the list is worth paying attention to as well.

10. The Pillars of the Earth A Grail Game Back in Print

Based on the novel written by Ken Follett, The Pillars of the Earth, designed by Michael Rieneck and Stefan Stadler, puts players in the role of cathedral builders in the early 12th century. Recruited by Prior Phillip of Kingsbridge to build England’s most beautiful cathedral, players attempt to gain the most fame (VPs) by helping to achieve this goal.

While first published in 2006, and would be considered one of the earlier worker-placement games, this is a game that still manages to feel distinguished years later.

Considered one of the earlier worker-placement games, this is a game that still manages to feel distinguished years later.

The Pillars of The Earth board game box cover

The Pillars of the Earth at a Glance

Game Type
Economic, Medieval Theme,
Novel-based, Religious,
Worker Placement, Different
Worker Types
Play Time
90 - 120 mins
Skill/Complexity (2.9 - 5)
Medium
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Kosmos and
Others
Published
2006
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 4
Cost
$49.99
Our Rating
8.5/10

The Gameplay – In Pillars of the Earth, players gain VPs over the course of six rounds by using resources to construct the cathedral. Each round begins with revealing two craftsmen cards and seven resource cards in the public display. Then, players take turns drafting cards from this pool. Resource cards have a worker cost that players pay by placing the indicated number of workers onto the associated action space on the main game board. Craftsman cards have a gold cost indicated at the top of the card, and then go into the player’s display; these cards allow a player to convert resources into VPs by constructing the cathedral at the end of the round.

Next, players take turns drawing from the master builder bag and potentially paying gold to place their workers at action spaces on the board. When a player’s master builder is drawn from the bag, they have the choice to either pay the amount of gold indicated by the cost marker on the cost track, or to pass. If they pass, they place their master builder on the current space on the cost track. Then, regardless of whether the player passes or places their worker on the board, the cost marker moves down on the track one space, making it one gold cheaper to place the master builder. Each player has three master builders in the bag, and once all have been drawn, players who passed take turns placing their master builders on the board for free.

Actions on the main board are then triggered in a specific order, some of which include an event card for all players to resolve, collecting income, taking a privilege card, earning VPs, collecting resources, gaining additional workers, and gaining a craftsman. At the end of the round, players use the powers of their craftsmen to convert resources into VPs.

This is a game that was out of print and very difficult to find for quite some time. With a recent reprint from Kosmos in 2017, however, this award-winning game is luckily once again available. With its unique take on worker placement and turn order, it’s no surprise that the game sustained high enough demand over the years to warrant a reprint.

While this isn’t an auction game per se, the diminishing turn order cost mechanism creates a similar feel that fans of auction games will likely appreciate. It creates the agonizing decision of how much to pay to perform an action that will benefit you; is it worth paying 7 gold and ensuring you will get the action you need, or do you pass and hope that you can take the same action for cheaper – or free? These are the types of decisions this game is full of, and one you should definitely check out if this sounds like your kind of game.

11. Mint WorksA Portable Worker-Placement Game Perfect for Lunch Break

Sometimes the opportunity arises to play a quick board game with friends in normal everyday situations, like on a lunch break at work. The challenge for these quick and casual scenarios, however, is finding a game that takes up little table space and is fast to set up and play, easy to teach, and (most importantly) – fun. Luckily, Mint Works, designed by Justin Blaske, meets all of these requirements.

This is a worker-placement game in a small tin container, and once you play it, your friends will likely ask you to bring it back to lunch the next time.

Sometimes the opportunity arises to play a quick board game with friends in normal everyday situations, like on a lunch break at work.

Mint Works game box cover

Mint Works at a Glance

Game Type
Economic, Worker
Placement, Card Drafting
Play Time
10 - 20 mins
Skill/Complexity (1.8 - 5)
Light
Age
13+
Publisher(s)
Five24 Labs and
Others
Published
2017
Categories
Strategy
Players
1 - 4
Cost
$14.99
Our Rating
8.2/10

The Gameplay – In Mint Works, players are building up a neighborhood in the city of Mintopia, in attempts to have the most points at the end of the round in which one player reaches 7 VP. Players begin the game with 3 workers, which are small wooden mint-shaped disks. During a round, players take turns placing workers to perform actions at available locations by placing the required number of workers for that action. Actions allow players to gain additional workers, take a plan card from the public pool and put it face down in front of them, build a face-down plan card by paying its required cost, and take the starting player token for the next round (plus gain a worker).

At the end of a round, all workers placed are discarded to the general supply, and then each player gains one worker for the next round. Building cards provide ongoing benefits like gaining additional workers between rounds, and reduced costs for purchasing plan cards. Play continues until one player has reached 7 VP at the end of the round, and whoever has the most points is the winner of the game.

Being a very light-weight and worker-placement game, Mint Works may not be your #1 go-to worker-placement game in all circumstances; however, it will certainly be a go-to game for a quick round with friends either during lunch break or in environments like a bar or restaurant when waiting for food. For this purpose, the game is perfect at what it sets out to be, and is included on this list of the best worker placement board games for that reason.

12. Caylus 1303A Mean Euro Game

Caylus, designed by William Attia, was originally published in 2005 and is considered one of the original worker-placement games, according to BoardGameGeek.

The game recently received an update from its designer and publisher in 2019, with some modifications to its rules and gameplay to make it more streamlined and modern, including a variable set-up, special abilities, new artwork and graphic design, and, of course, a new title: Caylus 1303.

Caylus 1303 board game box cover

Caylus 1303 at a Glance

Game Type
City Building, Economic,
Medieval Theme, Variable Set-up,
Worker Placement
Play Time
60 - 90 mins
Skill/Complexity (3 - 5)
Medium
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Space Cowboys
Published
2019
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 5
Cost
$59.99
Our Rating
8.7/10

Caylus 1303 carries the original game’s reputation for having the potential to be a fairly mean-spirited worker-placement game, with the ability to completely derail an opponent’s plan to perform an action with the provost mechanism, explained below. In Caylus 1303, players are master builders attempting to help build up the city and castle of Caylus in hopes of becoming the most prestigious builder at the end of 9 rounds.

Caylus 1303 carries the original game’s reputation for having the potential to be a fairly mean-spirited worker-placement game, with the ability to completely derail an opponent’s plan.

The Gameplay – The game board features a city under construction at the top, and then a winding road out of the city toward the bottom of the board, which contains buildings along the way. In the first phase of a round, players take turns either placing 1 worker on a building along the road, or at the left-most available space at the construction site. Alternatively, a player can pass and place a house of their color on the left-most available space at the Guilds Bridge.

Next, buildings along the road are activated in order up to the provost, allowing players to perform their building’s action once. Some actions include gaining resources, gaining workers, building buildings, and moving the provost (1-3 spaces). When the Guilds Bridge action is triggered, players each take turns moving the provost 1-3 spaces in order of house placement on the action space (which players place when they pass). It is encouraged within the rulebook to discuss and negotiate as to how the provost will be moved.

Players who placed a worker at the construction site then have a chance to sell bundles of three different resources for 5 prestige points each; the player who sells the most bundles also gains 1 favor, which allows them to either take a character (and its special ability) from another player, or use the benefit of one of the three buildings at the construction site. Lastly, players gain three workers plus additional workers for each residence they own, and the provost moves to the spot just before the building that was last constructed. At the end of 9 rounds, whoever has the most prestige points is the winner of the game.

Because Caylus 1303 has an element of direct player interaction (i.e., directly preventing an opponent from taking an action they had planned on taking), it may not be a good fit for everyone. However, if you are someone who enjoys a bit of meanness in your games, and especially one that allows you to negotiate in terms of how these bad effects will play out, then this is a game you might want to look into. With its streamlined rules and quicker game play, Caylus 1303 is easier to teach than the original game, and could provide an excellent gaming experience with the right group of people.

13. Champions of Midgard A Euro-Amerithrash Hybrid

Monsters, trolls, and draugr are descending upon the city of Midgard in unstoppable hordes – evil entities that seek nothing more than to decimate and terrorize. With the future of this port city being nothing more than a fading glimmer of hope, will you be the Jarl to bring glory to Midgard and make its streets safe once again? With the help of loyal swordsmen, spearmen, and axemen at your side, you must prove yourself as a brave and fierce leader to be named Champion of Midgard.

Nothing more than a fading glimmer of hope, will you be the Jarl to bring glory to Midgard and make its streets safe once again?

Champions of Midgard Board Game

Champions of Midgard at a Glance

Game Type
Medieval Theme, Fantasy,
Worker Placement, Dice Rolling,
Set Collection, Variable Player
Powers,
Play Time
60 - 90 mins
Skill/Complexity (2.7 - 5)
Medium
Age
10+
Publisher(s)
Grey Fox Games
Published
2015
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 5
Cost
$59.99
Our Rating
8.8/10

The goal of Champions of Midgard, designed by Ole Steiness, is to have the most glory (points) at the end of 8 rounds, mainly by fighting enemies and helping keep Midgard safe.

In a round of this game, players take turns sending workers out on the board to perform actions. While some actions are resolved immediately, such as collecting resources and warriors to help to fight against enemies, the combat and hunting actions are resolved later in the round after players have finished placing workers.

At this point, any players who have workers at combat locations simultaneously assign their Viking warrior dice to those locations. Then, any player who has a worker at the hunting ground rolls all their warrior dice not committed to combat, and gains 1 food for each hit rolled on their dice (maximum of 6). Next, players who are committed resolve combat against the troll and then draugr at the top of the board. Finally, players who have chosen to journey will fight a monster to determine if they succeed at their journey.

When players resolve combat, they roll their warrior dice and then place 1 damage token for every hit rolled. They also have the option to spend 1 favor token to re-roll any number of dice. The player then checks the enemy’s attack value, and compares that number to the number of shields they rolled to determine how many warrior dice they must discard. If the number of damage tokens on the enemy is equal to or greater than its defense value, then the enemy is defeated and the player gains the benefit listed on the card. If the player did not defeat the enemy, and they have Viking warrior dice remaining at that location, they continue with another (and possibly multiple) round of combat until the enemy is defeated or the player’s dice are depleted. If the troll was not defeated in the current round, then every player is dealt 1 blame token which cause negative points at the end of the game.

At the end 8 rounds, players add up points from destiny cards (special end game scoring conditions), sets of 3 different-colored enemies, runes from rune cards (which provide one-time use abilities), private longships, sets of 2 favor tokens, and sets of 3 unspent coins. Whoever has the most points is named Champion of Midgard, with serious bragging rights until the end of time.

Champions of Midgard is a game that feels like a good blend of Euro and Amerithrash mechanisms.

The Viking theme, along with dice-driven combat against enemies, are elements that have given the game potential to appeal to an audience of gamers who might not normally gravitate toward Euro games. Similarly, fans of worker-placement and resource-management games who don’t normally like games with a lot of luck might be willing to give this game a try, especially given the fact that favor tokens are a resource that can be used to potentially mitigate bad dice rolls.

In short, Champions of Midgard is a great game for a collection that works well with a diverse range of gamer preferences.

14. Lorenzo il Magnifico – A Clever Use of Dice

n recent years, there have been a number of games released that manage to integrate dice into its central gameplay in very interesting ways, as a way to add randomization and uncertainty into a game but still provide players with challenging decisions. Lorenzo il Magnifico, designed by Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, and Andreas Resch, is one of these games.

In Lorenzo il Magnifico, players are leaders of noble families during the Italian Renaissance, and attempt to gain prestige and fame in order to make their family the most prestigious in Florence. Using the help of family members, players take turns performing actions over the course of 6 rounds to try and score the most VPs – through acquiring territory cards, character cards, venture cards, military strength, and sets of 5 resources.

In Lorenzo il Magnifico, players are leaders of noble families during the Italian Renaissance, and attempt to gain prestige and fame in order to make their family the most prestigious in Florence.

Lorenzo Il Magnifico board game

Lorenzo il Magnifico at a Glance

Game Type
Renaissance, Card Drafting,
Dice Rolling, Variable Player
Powers, Worker Placement,
Worker Placement with
Dice Workers
Play Time
60 - 120 mins
Skill/Complexity (3.5 - 5)
Medium - Heavy
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Cranio Creations, CMON
Limited and Others
Published
2016
Categories
Strategy
Players
2 - 4
Cost
$59.99
Our Rating
8.6/10

The element that makes worker placement different in this game is that, at the beginning of each round, the starting player rolls three dice of different colors (orange, black, and white) and places them on the main board. The value of these dice determines the power of the worker associated with a dice’s color when any player at the table uses a worker of that color. For instance, if the orange die has a value of 4, then a player’s orange worker will have an action value of 4 for that round. Each player also has a neutral worker with a default value of 0. Each action space on the board has a die value listed, and to place a worker and use that action space, the player’s worker must have a value equal to or greater than that value.

Players can also spend servants (purple meeple) to increase the value of their family member by 1 for each servant. Actions include gaining development cards (i.e., territories, buildings, characters, and ventures), activating territory or building cards on the player’s board to gain effects, getting goods from the market or council palace.

At the end of the 2nd, 4th, and 6th rounds, players will need to report to the Vatican to prove their devotion to the church through their current position on the faith point track. During this phase, players must have the minimum number of faith points as determined by the current round. If they do not meet this minimum, then they are excommunicated from the church and must put one cube of their color on the current round’s excommunication tile. These tiles provide ongoing negative effects for the duration of the game, which can be quite painful to endure. If a player does meet the minimum faith point requirement, they gain VPs equal to the value listed on their current faith point track space, and then move their marker back to 0.

If you are a fan of engine-building in games, or games that allow you to activate a series of rewarding bonuses on a turn, Lorenzo il Magnifico is a game that definitely provides that experience. By building up territory or building cards on your player board, and then activating the harvest or production action, you then have a chance to activate the bonuses on the cards of that type (the cards must have a die value equal to or less than the value of your worker to be activated). This means that the more cards you can add to your display, the better string of bonuses you will receive as the game goes by.

The use of dice to determine action value in this game is also unique in the sense that the dice rolled at the beginning of the round affect all players, not just the player who rolled them. This means that everyone has to deal with bad luck of the roll at the same time, and the game also provides a way to deal with low-valued dice with the servants.

If you are a fan of mid-weight Euro games that feature dice, then this is one that is almost guaranteed not to disappoint.

15. Le HavreA Heavy Game with Easy Rules

Le Havre is the 2nd game designed by Uwe Rosenburg to appear on this list, and it should come as no surprise since he is very well-known for games that feature worker-placement mechanisms. This is also probably the heaviest game on this list. However, despite the fact that it offers many complex and difficult decisions, as you will see below, Le Havre has a very simple-to-grasp ruleset that can allow new players to get up and running fairly quick.

In Le Havre, players are competing to have the most fortune at the end of the game after a set number of rounds depending on the number of players. A player’s fortune consists of their cash, as well as value of their buildings and ships.

In Le Havre, players are competing to have the most fortune at the end of the game after a set number of rounds.

Le Havre board game

Le Havre at a Glance

Game Type
Nautical Theme, City
Building, Economic,
Automatic Resource Growth,
End Game Bonuses, Loans,
Ownership, Solo/Solitaire,
Worker Placement
Play Time
30 - 150 mins
Skill/Complexity (4 - 5)
Heavy
Age
12+
Publisher(s)
Mayfair Games and Others
Published
2008
Categories
Strategy
Players
1 - 5
Cost
$49.99
Our Rating
8.9/10

On a player’s turn, they advance their ship along the harbor to the next open supply tile. Each supply tile has a resource type shown, and wherever the player’s ship lands, they take the indicated resources and add them to the respective offer space. Then, the player continues to take their main action for their turn, which is to either: a) take all goods from any one offer space and place them into their supply, or b) take a building action. In order to take a building action, the player must enter into a new building by moving their worker to that location and paying the entry cost if applicable. Buildings can be owned by players or by the city, and players can send their worker to any unoccupied building to perform its action, regardless of who owns it. A player can also buy or sell a building or ship as a free action.

A round ends once a player has placed their ship on the last supply tile in the harbor, and players must a certain amount of food as determined by the current round card. Having ships helps players reduce the amount of food they have to pay. The game ends after players have taken one final action once the final round card has been resolved, and the richest player wins the game.

The worker-placement mechanism that makes Le Havre different from other games is the fact that there is no requirement in this game in terms of when you move or use your worker, and the fact that you can send your worker to any player’s buildings (provided you can pay the cost). Since, on your turn, you have the option to either take goods or use a building action, a player could hypothetically not move their worker for multiple turns, blocking that space from other players who want to use it – including the player who owns it. And while Le Havre may not seem like a very complex game initially, it has a significant sense of progression; as players all gain an increasing number of buildings throughout the game, the number of choices available to a player on their turn also increases.

If you are looking for a relatively heavy economic resource-management game that isn’t too difficult to teach, then you will likely find Le Havre to be a very satisfying experience.

David Harriman

Dave's passion for board games began as a kid when his uncle taught him how to play Chess. He eventually discovered the world of hobby board gaming as a young adult with Settlers of Catan which sparked his interest in discovering what kinds of other games were out there. While Dave is always willing to try new types of games, his favorite games tend to be mid-weight Euro games – The Castles of Burgundy, Viticulture, and Orleans, to name a few.

You Might Also Like These!


collection of deck building games on collage
Gateway board games collection collage
legacy board games collage