Worker Placement....and why it bugs me

So a couple weeks ago, I played Age of Empires III.  It was an okay enough game but it is basically yet another worker placement game.  I don't mind worker placement so much except for the whole, "Well you can't do that because my piece is already there".   At least they are kind enough to put a spot so you can jump ahead in the turn order, but you still have to burn an action to do that and depending on the timing, it may not help anyway.

In some places, it kind of makes sense but most of the time it doesn't make sense.  Gee, I'm a sprawling empire and the sun never sets on my flag but France got to the shipbuilding yard before me, so I wont be able to build any ships.   Or, I'd love to plow the fields but my neighbor two fields down got the plow before me and we only have one plow....right.  But the most annoying version is the one in Caylus where you might place your worker somewhere but some jackass is going to point out the flaws in your work and make you stop before you do anything...Gah, where the hell does this one come from?  Is he supposed to be the OSHA inspector or something?  I didn't think they had one of those back in the 1700's or whenever Caylus is set.

I prefer games where you either A)  Have a set number of actions (Puerto Rico) or B)  Everyone can do the action but someone may get a bonus or C)  The number of things you can do is based on the amount of resources you have (Axis and Allies, Shogun) or D)  You have cards that allow you certain actions.  This way your plans are no foiled by some passive aggresive asshole who takes the action spot because well he can.  Instead it's foiled by poor planning on your part (Man I'd love to build this 100 bombers...but I didn't take Hawaii last turn, so I'm a little short....).

I think it boils down to the fact that worker placement often doesn't make thematic sense.  In Age of Empires III, you can convert your wood carrying guys to soldiers as long as someone isn't occupying either the soldier space or the $5 space.  If both are happening, you're SOL.