Tabletop games
Brass: Birmingham
FunforgeGavan Brown, Matt Tolman…2018
- players
- 2–4
- minutes
- 120
- years
- 14+
In the box
1 double-sided board · Industry tiles in the players' colours · Canal and Rail tiles · Location and Industry cards · Coal and iron cubes, beer barrels · Coins
Box details
- Designers
- Gavan Brown, Matt Tolman, Martin Wallace
- Artwork
- Lina Cossette, David Forest, Damien Mammoliti
- Publisher
- Funforge
- Mechanics
- Hand ManagementNetwork BuildingConnectionsLoansIncomeAction Points
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Each player develops their industries and network over two eras, the Canal Era and then the Rail Era. On your turn, take two actions, each by discarding a card (Build, Network, Develop, Sell, Loan or Scout), and everyone collects their income at the end of the round. At the end of each era, links and flipped industries score points; after the Rail Era scoring, the most victory points wins.
The rules, step by step
Setup
Player mat, industries, Hand of cards, Coal and iron markets
- Each player takes their player mat, industry tiles, link tiles and starting money.
- Each player is dealt a hand of cards; the rest forms the draw deck.
- The merchants are placed at random according to the number of players, and the coal and iron markets receive their cubes.
How to play
2 actions per turn, 1 card per action, Least spent goes first
- On your turn, take two actions, each by discarding a card; on the very first round of the game, only one.
- Actions: Build, Network, Develop, Sell, Loan or Scout.
- Turn order for the next round depends on the money spent: whoever spent the least goes first.
- At the end of each round, everyone collects their income.
- A loan brings in £30 but lowers your income.
Scoring
At the end of each era, Links then industries, Flipped industries
- At the end of each era, each link scores once for every link icon on the locations it connects.
- Then each flipped industry scores the points printed on it.
- After the Canal Era, canal links and level 1 industries leave the board.
End of the game
Era of 10, 9 or 8 rounds, After the Rail Era, Tie: highest income
- Each era lasts 10 rounds with two players, 9 with three, 8 with four.
- The game ends after the Rail Era scoring.
- Tie: the highest income, then the most money.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
Do unflipped industries score points?
No: only flipped industries score their points and count their link icons.