Today is the 2nd anniversary for the Exploring Games podcast (woo hoo!), so celebrate with me by checking out this huge episode that’s mostly all about the popular Worker Placement mechanic.

I start off by going through a few recently played games, and then cover the Dice Tower Network Game of the Month, which is the Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game Series.  Specifically, I’ve only played Castle Ravenloft (the first game in the series), so that’s the game I cover.

Then, I get right into my exploration of Worker Placement.  I try to define the mechanic, talk some about the role that it plays in modern boardgames, and outline the history of how worker placement has developed since it made its first appearance.  I also then share my opinion in one of my patented Top 12 (or 17) lists.  And finally, I wrap up the episode with reviews of two recent worker placement games, Spyrium and Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia.

Listen, enjoy (hopefully), and feel free to give me feedback either here, via email (gamerchris@bellsouth.net), at my Guild on BoardGameGeek, or on Twitter (@kilroy_locke).

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iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/exploring-games-gamerchris/id530098574

Time Index

0:28       Intro

2:19       Recently Played Games

2:44       – Android: Netrunner

8:00       – Gravwell

10:27     – Cities

12:00     – Get Lucky

13:44     – Legacy: Gears of Time

14:32     – Kairo

17:20     – Yin Yang

19:43     DTN Game of the Month: Castle Ravenloft

32:12     Exploring Worker Placement

33:00     – Definition

37:16     – Role/Purpose

42:15     – Timeline/History

1:17:28 – My Top 12 (or 17) Favorite Worker Placement Games

1:33:38   Review – Spyrium

1:54:09   Review – Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia

2:18:25   Outro

Worker Placement Links:

Worker Placement Elements Geeklist by Donald Dennis

Friedemann Friese’s “Worker-Placement — Are you sure?” Geeklist

Selwyth’s Taxonomy of Board Games (Worker Placement Entry)

On Board Games, Episode 114: I’ll Place My Worker Here

Dice Tower Network Links (D&D Adventure Game Series):

DTN Game of the Month Club Geeklist

On Board Games, Episode 132: I Cannot Choose This Wine In Front Of Me

Rolling Dice & Taking Names, Episode 39: Follow the Blind

My written Castle Ravenloft review

Music:

A beautiful second before we lose the signal by Ending Satellites on the Free Music Archive