A random element is usually required for a lot of different board games because they cannot all rely on skill alone. One of the most common random elements that are essential for any game usually comes in the form of movement around the board.
This movement is usually made by having the player rolls a number of dice and then move that number of spaces around the board. You can purchase these games for hobby supplies stores.
It is important to have a movement going on in this way for many games because, when a lot of players play at the same skill level, random chance this is the only thing that will give every player an advantage over another.
Dice has a number of uses, however, the game board. They are not restricted to movement patterns. In the game of Risk, dice is what is used to determine the outcome of the battle that took place. Movement is not determined by the risk of the dice and not the position of the players on the board.
Random elements required for the simulation of war, in this case. The battle can often go a number of ways and it is important that these elements can be captured effectively for a game that is accurate about the war.
Risk even went so far as to give defenders in the game advantage, something that soldiers on grass occupation usually have. Each soldier was given two dice attack to attack, while the defense is given 3, giving them a better chance of rolling a better figure where they can defeat the attack.