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BrassBirmingham
The industrial-revolution economy game

Brass

Build mills, mines, ironworks and breweries across the Midlands. Burn each other’s coal, drink each other’s beer, race for the same towns — then tear up the canals and do it all again with railways.

2–4 players · computer opponents · pass & play · online rooms with a code

WarringtonBuys Cotton Mill · beer waitingBuys PotteryBeer bonus · +£5NottinghamBuys Manufacturer · beer waitingBeer bonus · +3 VPShrewsburyBuys Cotton Mill, Manufacturer, PotteryBeer bonus · +4 VPGloucesterBuys Cotton Mill · beer waitingBeer bonus · DevelopOxfordBuys ManufacturerThis merchant buys nothingBeer bonus · +2 incomeLeekLeek: empty Cotton Mill or Manufacturer siteLeek: empty Cotton Mill or Coal Mine siteBelperBelper: empty Cotton Mill or Manufacturer siteBelper: empty Coal Mine siteBelper: empty Pottery siteStoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent: empty Cotton Mill or Manufacturer siteStoke-on-Trent: Pottery I, sold10IStoke-on-Trent: empty Manufacturer siteDerbyDerby: empty Cotton Mill or Brewery siteDerby: empty Cotton Mill or Manufacturer siteDerby: empty Iron Works siteStoneStone: empty Cotton Mill or Brewery siteStone: empty Manufacturer or Coal Mine siteUttoxeterUttoxeter: empty Manufacturer or Brewery siteUttoxeter: empty Cotton Mill or Brewery siteBurton-on-TrentBurton-on-Trent: empty Manufacturer or Coal Mine siteBurton-on-Trent: Brewery I, 1 leftIStaffordStafford: empty Manufacturer or Brewery siteStafford: empty Pottery siteFarm BreweryFarm Brewery: empty Brewery siteCannockCannock: empty Manufacturer or Coal Mine siteCannock: empty Coal Mine siteTamworthTamworth: Cotton Mill I, 0 leftITamworth: empty Cotton Mill or Coal Mine siteWolverhamptonWolverhampton: empty Manufacturer siteWolverhampton: empty Manufacturer or Coal Mine siteWalsallWalsall: empty Iron Works or Manufacturer siteWalsall: Brewery II, sold5IINuneatonNuneaton: empty Manufacturer or Brewery siteNuneaton: empty Cotton Mill or Coal Mine siteCoalbrookdaleCoalbrookdale: empty Iron Works or Brewery siteCoalbrookdale: Iron Works II, sold5IICoalbrookdale: empty Coal Mine siteDudleyDudley: Coal Mine II, 3 leftIIDudley: empty Iron Works siteBirminghamBirmingham: empty Cotton Mill or Manufacturer siteBirmingham: Manufacturer II, sold5IIBirmingham: Iron Works I, 2 leftIBirmingham: empty Manufacturer siteCoventryCoventry: Pottery II, 0 leftIICoventry: empty Manufacturer or Coal Mine siteCoventry: empty Iron Works or Manufacturer siteKidderminsterKidderminster: empty Cotton Mill or Coal Mine siteKidderminster: Cotton Mill I, sold5IRedditchRedditch: empty Manufacturer or Coal Mine siteRedditch: empty Iron Works siteFarm BreweryFarm Brewery: empty Brewery siteWorcesterWorcester: empty Cotton Mill siteWorcester: empty Cotton Mill siteExchangeCoal£3£1£2£3£4£5£6£7£8 each when emptyIron£3£1£2£3£4£5£6 each when emptyDraw deck22Wild location ×4Wild industry ×3KeyCanalRailwayOther eraYou can actSold (VP)

Build

Spend a location card to build in that town, or an industry card to build that industry anywhere in your network. Pay the tile’s cost plus any coal and iron.

Network

Lay a canal (£3) in the Canal Era, or a rail (£5 + 1 coal) in the Rail Era — or two rails for £15, 2 coal and a beer. Links must touch your network.

Develop

Remove one or two of your lowest tiles, one iron each, to reach stronger levels. Tiles with a lightbulb can only be built.

Sell

Flip cotton, manufacturers and potteries connected to a merchant who buys them. Most need beer; a merchant’s own beer earns its bonus.

Loan

Take £30 and drop your income three levels. Income is paid (or charged) at the end of every round.

Scout

Discard three cards to take a wild location and a wild industry card.

Two eras, two scorings

Each round everyone takes two actions (just one in the very first round), spending a card for each. Whoever spent the least money goes first next round. When the deck and hands run out, the era is scored: every link earns the link icons of flipped tiles and merchants at its ends, and every flipped tile earns its VP. Then canals and level I tiles are cleared and the Rail Era begins. Most VP after the Rail Era wins.