Brass: Birmingham

2018

Immerse yourself in Brass: Birmingham, an economic strategy game that takes you back to the industrial revolution. Develop, build, and establish industries to win!

120
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Brass: Birmingham is a fascinating and complex board game that immerses players in the heart of the British Industrial Revolution. Set in the Birmingham area during the years 1770-1870, the game transports you to a time of rapid industrial growth and fierce competition.

Brass: Birmingham presents you with a rich and diverse historical backdrop, filled with canals, rails, and factories. The game board is a beautifully designed map of the Midlands, complete with cities, industries, and a network of canals and railways. This game truly brings the Industrial Revolution to life.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Brass: Birmingham is a strategy board game with a variety of components that each play a specific role. Each component contributes to the overall gameplay, enabling players to engage in strategic decision-making, resource management, and competitive play.

The game includes the following components:

1 Game Board: The game board is a map of Birmingham and its surrounding areas. It is marked with various routes and locations where players can build their industries. The game board is the main area where players interact with each other.
4 Player Mats: Each player receives a player mat, which represents their industrial empire. It indicates the types of industries a player can build, the costs associated with each, and the potential income and victory points they can earn.
4 Character Tiles: These tiles represent the four playable characters in the game, each with a unique ability that can provide an advantage during gameplay.
56 Double-sided Link Tiles: These tiles represent the transport links (canals and railways) that players build between locations on the game board. They are essential for connecting industries and transporting resources.
180 Industry Tiles: These represent the industries players can build. Each tile has a specific type of industry, such as cotton mills, coal mines, or breweries. The industries provide resources, generate income, and contribute to a player’s victory points.
64 Location and Industry Cards: These cards allow players to build industries and links on the board. Location cards allow players to build in specific towns or cities, while industry cards allow players to build a specific type of industry.
77 Money Tokens: Representing the currency in the game, these tokens are used to pay for building industries and links, and can be earned as income from certain industries.
30 Iron Cubes and 30 Coal Cubes: These are the resources required to build certain industries and links. Iron is used to build iron works and railways, while coal is needed for coal mines and canals.
16 Beer Barrels: Beer is a special resource in Brass: Birmingham. It is used to activate certain industries and can also be sold for money.
Scoring Markers: These markers track each player’s income and victory points throughout the game. The player with the highest total of victory points at the end of the game is the winner.

In summary, each component in Brass: Birmingham contributes to the game’s complex economic system and strategic depth. Players must manage their resources, plan their strategies, and compete with each other to build the most successful industrial empire.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Brass: Birmingham is a complex strategy game that requires careful planning and thoughtful execution. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Prepare the Game Board

Place the game board in the center of the playing area. Ensure that the side matching the number of players is facing up. The board depicts various locations in Birmingham and its surrounding areas, with different types of actions that can be taken in each location.

Step 2: Sort the Tiles

Separate the industry tiles by type (Coal Mines, Iron Works, etc.) and place them in separate piles next to the game board. The tiles should be stacked in descending order with the highest value on top.

Step 3: Prepare the Player Pieces

Each player chooses a color and takes all the pieces of that color. Each player will have a set of industry tiles, link tiles, and a player mat. Players place their character token on the zero space of the scoring track.

Step 4: Set Up the Card Deck

Separate the deck into two halves: the Canal Era cards and the Rail Era cards. Shuffle each half separately and set aside the Rail Era cards for later use. Deal each player an equal number of Canal Era cards.

Step 5: Prepare the Market

Set up the market by placing the iron and coal cubes on their respective spaces. The number of cubes used and their placement is determined by the number of players.

Step 6: Decide the Start Player

Determine the start player randomly. This player places their character token on the topmost space of the turn order track, with other players placing their tokens in clockwise order beneath the start player’s token.

Step 7: Initial Resources

Each player receives an initial amount of money, determined by the number of players. In a four-player game, for example, the first player receives £30, the second £31, the third £32, and the fourth £33.

Step 8: Start the Game

The game is now ready to begin. Starting with the first player and proceeding in turn order, players now take their actions using their cards.

As the game progresses, players will be building industries, establishing trade routes, and managing resources to make the most profitable enterprises in Birmingham. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.

Game flow Round and round we go

Brass: Birmingham is a highly strategic board game that involves economic development, resource management, and network building. The game unfolds in two distinct eras: the Canal Era (rounds 1-4) and the Rail Era (rounds 5-8). Each era consists of several rounds, and each round includes an opportunity for players to take actions based on their current set of cards.

At the start of the game:

Each player is given a character card, 30 money, and a personal board showing the available buildings.
The game board, a map of Birmingham and its surroundings, is set up with resources and market tiles.
Players are dealt a number of location and industry cards based on the number of players.

The game then proceeds in rounds, each of which follows these steps:

Card Draw: At the start of each round, players draw cards from the deck until they have eight in hand.
Action Phase: Players take turns performing two actions each. Actions can be building an industry, building a canal or rail link, developing industries, selling goods, or taking a loan. These actions often require a corresponding card.
Refresh Market: After all players have completed their actions, the market is refreshed. New iron, coal, and beer tiles are added to the market.
Income and Maintenance: Players earn income based on their current income level and pay maintenance for their canals and rails.

The Canal Era ends after the fourth round. At this point, all canals and the industries connected to them are removed from the board, and the Rail Era begins. The game continues in the same pattern, but with players now building rail links instead of canals.

The game ends after the Rail Era concludes. Players then tally up their victory points from their industries and connections. The player with the most victory points is the winner of Brass: Birmingham.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Brass: Birmingham is a strategic board game that revolves around the industrial revolution in Birmingham. During a player’s turn, he or she can take two actions from the following options:

Build: Players can build industry tiles on the board. To do this, they must discard a card that matches the location or industry they wish to build. The cost of building is indicated on the tile. This action is strategic as it helps players establish their presence and influence on the board.
Network: Players can expand their network by building connections between different locations. This is done by discarding a card that matches the location they want to connect to. Building a network is crucial for expanding reach and facilitating the transport of goods.
Develop: This action allows players to upgrade their industries. They discard a card (any location or industry) and remove one or two of their own industry tiles from their player board to make room for higher-level industries. Development is key for technological advancement and can give players an edge over their competitors.
Sell: Players can sell goods produced by their industries. They must have a connection to a location where they can sell and discard a card with the matching industry. Selling goods generates income and clears space for further production.
Loan: Players can take a loan to receive immediate capital, but will decrease their income. The loan can be taken by discarding any card. Taking a loan is a risky move, but can provide the necessary funds for crucial actions.
Scout: A player can discard three cards to perform any action as if they had the perfect card. This is a flexible move that can help players out of a tight spot.

The Brass: Birmingham gameplay is an intricate balance of strategic planning, resource management, and timing. The choices a player makes on their turn can have far-reaching consequences on their overall strategy and position in the game. For example, building industries and expanding network early can provide a strong foundation for future turns. Meanwhile, selling goods and taking loans can provide immediate benefits but may lead to long-term challenges. Thus, it’s important for players to carefully consider their options and make strategic decisions that will bring them closer to victory.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Brass: Birmingham is a strategy game of economic development, where players compete in the industrial revolution. The game ends after the Rail Phase, once all players have exhausted their Action Points, or when the deck of cards is depleted. Upon reaching the end, there are several steps players must take before final scoring.

Before final scoring, players must:

Complete any unfinished projects they have in play. This might include building rail links, developing industries, or taking loans.
Ensure all of their industry tiles are flipped to the “used” side. This indicates that the industry has been utilized during the game.
Calculate their total income by adding up the income from all of their active industries.

Final scoring in Brass: Birmingham is determined by the following victory conditions:

Canal and Rail Links: Players earn points based on the connected network of canals and rail links they have built. Each link is worth a certain number of points, depending on its length and the industries it connects.
Industry Tiles: Points are awarded for each industry tile in a player’s network. The value of each tile is printed on the tile itself. Some tiles are worth more points if they are connected to certain other tiles.
Developed Industries: Additional points are awarded for each level of industry a player has developed. The more advanced the industry, the greater the number of points awarded.
Income: Finally, a player’s total income from their industries is converted into victory points. Every 10 pounds of income translates into 1 victory point.

The player with the highest total score after all the above calculations are made is declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most leftover money is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Brass: Birmingham is a strategy and economic game where players compete to build the most successful industries. The game is played over two phases: the canal phase and the rail phase. Scoring in Brass: Birmingham is determined by the players’ industry tiles on the board, as well as a number of other factors.

Main Scoring:

Industry Tiles: At the end of each phase, players score points based on the level of the industry tiles they have flipped on the board. The points are indicated on the flipped side of each tile.
Connections: In the rail phase, players also score points for each of their rail links connecting two locations.
Networks: A player scores bonus points if they have a network of linked locations that includes more than one type of industry.

Additional Scoring:

Beer Barrels: Players gain additional points for each beer barrel they have used to flip tiles.
Loans: Players lose points for each loan they have taken. Each outstanding loan reduces a player’s score by the amount of the loan.

Tie-breaking Rules:

If players are tied at the end of the game, the player with the most leftover money wins the tie.
If there is still a tie, the player who reached the tied score first wins.
If a tie cannot be broken by these rules, the game is considered a draw.

Understanding the scoring system is key to developing a successful strategy in Brass: Birmingham. Players must balance the development of their industries, the building of their networks, and the management of their resources to maximize their points and win the game.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

In the board game Brass: Birmingham, there are a few special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that players should be aware of to ensure smooth gameplay. These include the following:

Canal and Rail Phases: The game is divided into two phases, the Canal Phase and the Rail Phase. At the start of the Rail Phase, all canal links and level 1 industries are removed from the game board.
Building Industries: When building an industry, the player must have a network connection to the location, but this does not have to be the shortest possible route. However, a player can only build industries in locations where they have a merchant.
Iron and Coal: Iron and coal are essential for building certain industries and rail links. Iron can be sourced from any location on the board, but coal must be sourced from a location in your network. If there’s no coal in your network, you can buy it from the market.
Beer Requirement: Some industries require beer to be built or upgraded. The beer can be sourced from any location in your network, or from the market if none is available in your network.
Loans: Players can take a loan at any time during their turn, but they must immediately drop their income level by the corresponding amount.
Scoring: Scoring is done twice in the game – once at the end of the Canal Phase, and once at the end of the game. Players score points for their canal and rail links, and for their industries. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.

In addition to these rules, there are a few important rule clarifications:

Network Connections: A network connection is any continuous chain of your own canal or rail links, or a combination of both. Your network does not include links or industries belonging to other players.
Canal and Rail Links: You can only build a canal link during the Canal Phase, and a rail link during the Rail Phase. Each link must be connected to another of your links or industries, or to a location where you have a merchant.
Using Other Players’ Industries: You can use coal or beer from another player’s industry if it’s in your network. However, you can’t use other players’ iron or cotton industries.
Overbuilding Industries: You can overbuild your own industries, but only if the new industry is a higher level than the old one. You can’t overbuild other players’ industries.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

‘Brass: Birmingham’ is a complex and highly strategic board game. Mastering it requires a good understanding of the rules, but also a grasp of some advanced strategies and common pitfalls. Here are some tips and strategies to help improve your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Balance Your Resources: Strategic management of resources is key in ‘Brass: Birmingham’. Make sure to keep a balance between coal, iron, and beer. Don’t overinvest in one type of resource while neglecting the others.
Plan Your Routes: Spend time carefully planning your routes. Remember, it’s not just about connecting to the most industries, but also about creating efficient networks that allow for easy transportation of goods.
Target High-Value Industries: Prioritize building high-value industries like pottery, manufactured goods, and cotton. These can yield significant profits if managed properly.

Beginner Tips:

Understand the Game Mechanics: Familiarize yourself with the core mechanics of the game. Understand how the market works, how to build and upgrade industries, and how to manage resources.
Start Small: As a beginner, it can be beneficial to start with smaller industries like coal and iron. These are simpler to manage and can provide a steady income to fund more ambitious projects later on.
Learn from Others: Watch experienced players and learn from their strategies. This can be a great way to gain insights and develop your own unique approach to the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Overextending: One common mistake in ‘Brass: Birmingham’ is overextending. Building too many industries too quickly can lead to resource shortages and financial difficulties. Pace your expansion carefully.
Ignoring the Market: The market is a crucial element of the game. Ignoring it can lead to missed opportunities and unexpected challenges. Keep an eye on the market and adapt your strategy accordingly.
Underestimating Opponents: ‘Brass: Birmingham’ is a competitive game. Underestimating your opponents can lead to costly mistakes. Always be aware of their strategies and adjust your plans as needed.

Optimizing Gameplay:

Think Ahead: ‘Brass: Birmingham’ rewards forward-thinking players. Always have a plan for the next few turns and try to anticipate what your opponents might do.
Adapt to the Situation: The game’s circumstances can change quickly. Be flexible and willing to adapt your strategy as needed.
Use All Tools Available: Make use of all available tools – cards, industries, and resources. A well-rounded strategy that utilizes all aspects of the game is often more successful.