The best games with Worker Placement with dice instead of figures 2025

Players take on the roles of a pilot and a co-pilot in a cooperative game for two. The objective is to work together to land your airplane at various airports around the world. Successful landing requires silently coordinating dice placement in your cockpit to balance the aircraft, control speed, deploy flaps, and even brew coffee to enhance focus. Each airport presents unique challenges, so stay alert for turbulence—it could be a bumpy ride!

Under Falling Skies is a solo board game with a focus on strategic defense against an alien invasion. It features a multi-mission campaign where players defend cities from extraterrestrial threats.

The heron flies over the skies of Himeji while the Daimyo observes the activities of his servants from the castle's summit. Players control a clan to earn victory points by gaining influence at court, managing resources, and strategically placing their workers. The game features resource management, worker placement, and dice placement mechanics, set against the backdrop of Himeji Castle, where players engage in tending gardens, defending the castle, and climbing the social ladder. With accessible rules and a carefully crafted setting, it offers a blend of simplicity and strategic depth.

The Taverns of Tiefenthal is a strategic and immersive board game that transports players to a bustling village tavern, where they must attract guests and manage resources to become the most successful establishment in Tiefenthal.

Roll for the Galaxy is a dice-based strategy game for 2-5 players, where dice represent the populace tasked with building a space empire. It's a dice adaptation of the popular card game Race for the Galaxy.

Life in the forest is fun, as long as the sun is shining and the leaves are on the trees. However, these days don't last forever. Wise animals start gathering supplies for the long, cold winter before the weather changes, transforming their homes into cozy hideaways with soup, comfortable chairs, and games to pass the dark days.

Rajas of the Ganges is a strategy board game set in 16th century India, during the rise of the Great Mogul Empire. Players take on the roles of influential nobles, striving to transform their estates into prosperous provinces.

Alien Frontiers is a competitive board game where players vie to colonize an uncharted planet. As deep space colonists, players must skillfully manage resources, expand their fleet, research alien technology, and establish colonies to gain control of the new world.

In Kingsburg, players assume the roles of Lords dispatched by the King to oversee frontier territories. The game unfolds over five years, comprising a total of 20 turns. Each year consists of three production seasons, allowing players to gather resources, construct structures, and train troops. However, every fourth turn ushers in winter, a time when all players must individually confront an invading army. Despite this threat, Kingsburg remains a competitive rather than cooperative game.

The Voyages of Marco Polo is a captivating board game that allows players to relive the epic journey of Marco Polo. Set in 1271, players follow Marco Polo’s path from Venice to Kublai Khan’s court in China, navigating through ancient cities and traversing the famed Silk Road.

Crypt introduces an intriguing blend of strategic decision-making with a dice placement mechanism that captivates players from the get-go. Designed for 1 to 4 players, this compact game offers a rich and engaging experience despite its small box size. The goal is straightforward - to amass the most valuable collection of treasures. However, the path to achieving this is layered with tactical choices and risks.

Dice Hospital is a worker placement board game where players manage a hospital and treat patients represented by dice. The lower the dice value, the more critical the patient's condition. Players aim to efficiently treat and discharge patients, increasing their hospital's reputation.

Lorenzo il Magnifico is a strategic board game set in the Italian Renaissance, where players embody heads of noble families vying for prestige and fame. This game is a blend of resource management, strategic planning, and careful maneuvering.

In the realm of Kingsburg, monstrous invaders threaten the borders, prompting your king to entrust you with the governance of a province. As a governor, you must manage your province, influence the King's advisors, and gather resources to expand and defend your lands. But you're not alone in seeking the advisors' favor – rival governors vie for resources to strengthen their territories too.

Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan is an exciting standalone sequel to The Voyages of Marco Polo. This time, the adventure takes a new turn as players retrace Marco Polo's steps back to the West, acting in the service of the Khan. The game tasks players with exploring the farthest reaches of the Khan’s expansive empire, seeking both wealth and fame.

Discoveries: The Journals of Lewis & Clark is a strategy board game that transports players back to the iconic Lewis and Clark Expedition. The game blends historical exploration with a unique dice-based gameplay mechanism.

Human progress threatens the survival of many species. It’s up to you and your team to save them by collaborating with other conservationists to protect tigers and sea otters from extinction. Players must influence the UN to enact a resolution; if four ambassadors vote in favor, they win, but they must manage destruction and keep the animals alive until then.

Troyes is a strategy board game set in the historic city of Troyes in France's Champagne region. Players immerse themselves in the development of the city over four centuries, balancing the demands of religious, military, and civil responsibilities.

Brew is a captivating board game that transports players to a mystical forest thrown into disarray by a fracture in time. With the seasons clashing and the natural cycle of day and night upended, players take on the roles of forest mystics tasked with restoring harmony to the land. Through strategic use of element dice, players will work to gain control of the seasons, recruit woodland creatures, and brew powerful potions to aid in their quest.

Coimbra is a historically themed board game set in the vibrant era of the 15th and 16th centuries in Portugal. It combines strategic planning, resource management, and an innovative dice mechanism, making it a compelling choice for gamers who enjoy a blend of history and strategy.

Steampunk Rally is an inventive strategy game that skillfully blends the steampunk aesthetic with dynamic gameplay. Players embody famous historical inventors like Nikola Tesla and Marie Curie, building extraordinary machines powered by steam, heat, and electricity. The goal is to outmaneuver opponents in a thrilling race through the Swiss Alps using these fantastical contraptions.

Alea Iacta Est presents a fascinating blend of dice placement and strategic decision-making, set against the backdrop of Ancient Rome. Players vie for prestige and power in the guise of Caesars, using their dice as resources to gain advantages across various influential buildings.

Pulsar 2849 is a Euro-style board game set in the distant future where humanity has learned to harness the power of pulsars. In this strategic game of space exploration and resource management, players venture into the cosmos to claim pulsars and develop technologies, aiming to build an efficient energy distribution network among the stars.

Artifacts, Inc. is a dynamic, competitive board game set against the backdrop of 1929 New York's archeological fervor. Designed for 2-4 players, it invites participants to dive into the thrilling world of artifact recovery and museum exhibitions, aspiring to establish the most prestigious archaeology company of the era.

Teotihuacan: City of Gods invites you to traverse time, immersing yourself in the splendor and twilight of the powerful pre-Columbian civilization of Mesoamerica. Strategize, accumulate wealth, seek the favor of the gods, and embark on the monumental task of constructing the awe-inspiring Pyramid of the Sun.

The Magnificent is a strategic Eurogame set in an enchanting, mystical world, inviting players to dazzle audiences with their traveling show of performers. Illustrated by Martin Mottet, this game challenges players to skillfully manage resources, expand their camps with Tetris-like tiles, and execute performances to attract the biggest crowds. Each decision, from selecting dice to planning shows, impacts your strategy and potential to score points.

Build a beehive, collect nectar, and produce honey while being efficient, strategic, and outmaneuvering your opponents! Players control worker bees to expand their hive, increase their bee population, gather nectar, and create honey.

"Build me a castle! Create a city worthy of my queen!" Your king's wish is your command, prompting you to travel to Queensdale, gather resources, construct buildings, and take fate into your own hands. Glory and wealth are within reach, but competitors also seek to fulfill the king's desires. Act with courage and wisdom, remembering that your choices will have consequences.

The neon-clad city of Dicetopia awaits, a bubbling cauldron of petty thieves, conniving corporations, and ruthless smugglers. Players deploy their agents to take over neighborhoods, seize loot, perform cunning actions, and complete treacherous missions. The game features a mix of area control, dice manipulation, worker placement, secret objectives, and player interaction, ensuring no two games feel the same.

Welcome to Encyclopedia! Set in the year 1739, players take on the role of aspiring naturalists and adventurers hired by the Comte de Buffon to help create the first encyclopedia of natural history. The game involves researching, organizing ambitious expeditions, and publishing studies on the world's most fascinating creatures.