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Dice Hospital (2018) Board Game

Dice Hospital is a board game released in 2018 by designers Sebastian Koziner and Sabrina Miramon. The game is set in a hospital where players take on the role of hospital administrators, working to treat patients and improve their facilities. With a mix of strategy and luck, players must manage their resources effectively to ensure the best patient care.

Game Components of Dice Hospital

  • Starting boards for each player
  • Three basic white nurse meeples per player
  • Coloured syringes for player identification
  • Reference cards
  • Dice (used as patients)
  • Ambulances
  • Specialist cards
  • Department tiles
  • Hospital Administrator cards
  • Blood bags
  • Event cards (optional)
  • 3D ambulances, wooden tokens, and a hospital-themed dice tower (Deluxe Edition add-ons).

    How To Setup Dice Hospital

    To set up Dice Hospital, each player receives a starting board, three white nurse meeples, a coloured syringe, and a reference card. Depending on the player count, some dice may be removed from the bag, and the correct number of ambulances are set out. Each player draws three random dice, setting them to pip values of three, four, and five in the ward section of their board. Specialist cards, department tiles, and Hospital Administrator cards are shuffled and placed near the play area. Each player is dealt two Hospital Administrator cards, keeping one and discarding the other.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Game Mechanics:** Worker placement, resource management, and dice rolling.
  • Game Objective:** To have the most points after eight rounds by discharging patients (healing dice to a value over 6) and managing resources effectively.
  • Rounds Structure:**
    – Patient intake: Roll and distribute dice into ambulances.
    – Hospital improvement: Choose a specialist or department to enhance hospital capabilities.
    – Hospital activation: Treat patients by moving nurses and specialists.
    – Neglect phase: Lower untreated patients’ pip values.
    – Scoring phase: Score discharged patients.
    – Clean-up and reset phase.

    Player Experience

    Playing Dice Hospital requires strategic planning and efficient resource management. Each round is tense and challenging, as players must balance treating new patients with maintaining the health of existing ones. The game’s theme and mechanics work well together, creating a engaging and mentally stimulating experience. While there isn’t a lot of direct interaction between players, strategic decisions about which ambulances to take and how to help or hinder opponents add a layer of complexity.

    Pros

  • Engaging Theme:** The hospital management theme is well-implemented and immersive.
  • Strategic Depth:** Requires careful planning and resource management.
  • Replayability:** Various specialists, departments, and event cards offer different gameplay experiences.
  • Components:** Colorful and well-designed components, including 3D ambulances in the Deluxe Edition.

    Cons

  • Learning Curve:** New players may need time to understand the rules and strategies.
  • Patient Fatalities:** While not overly punishing, patient deaths can still impact scoring negatively.
  • Limited Interaction:** Direct interaction between players is minimal, which might not appeal to everyone.

    Personal Thoughts on Dice Hospital

    Dice Hospital is ideal for fans of worker placement and resource management games. It is suitable for players aged 10+ and supports 1 to 4 players. The game offers a great mental workout, making it perfect for those who enjoy strategic gameplay. If you’re interested in a game that challenges you to manage resources efficiently and make tough decisions under pressure, Dice Hospital is a great choice.

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