Brass

Brass – Review

Brass was published in 2007 and is designed by Martin Wallace. The heart of this game is a tight economic system which rewards players for skillful economic management.

brass-3Brass is:

  • Designed by: Martin Wallace
  • Published by: Eagle Games
  • Number of players: 3-4
  • Playing time: 120 minutes
  • Player ages: 13+

The components for the Eagle Games version of Brass are of excellent and durable quality. The linen finish on the game is good but not quite as good as the finish on the Warfrog/Treefrog edition.

A Quick Overview

In the game, each player attempts to build cotton mills, coal mines and so on in the historical Lancashire setting. The game plays over two phases: canal and rail. Players build canals in the first phase and attempt to ship their cotton to various ports and improve their production output.

The winner is the one who has the most intricate network of rails, mills, mines, ports and shipyards over both the canal and Rail Periods.

Game Play

The game starts with each player receiving a set of industry tokens in the player color along with 30 GBP. Players are then dealt a hand of 8 cards which detemine their strategic play.

After a careful analysis of the dealt cards, players are ready to begin the game.

The game is played in two periods: the Canal Period and the Rail Period. Each period lasts approximately 60 minutes and players attempt to make use of their cards to build and develop industry at key areas on the map.brass-2

Each period finishes when the draw deck is exhausted and the cards have all been played from the players’ hands. At the end of each period, victory points are tallied and the player with the highest points wins.

The game turn is as follows:

  • Receive income (if any).
  • Play 2 cards for two actions.
  • Determine turn order.
  • Refill hand to 8 cards.

After every player receives income, each player then plays their two actions in turn order. If it is the first turn of the Canal Period, players may only play one card (and thus perform one action).

Cards are either industry cards (shipyards, cotton mills, ports, iron works, coal mines) or location cards. By playing a location card, players can pay to build an appropriate industry in that particular city. Some industries require coal and/or iron and these resources must be transported to the location.

This is why there is a cooperative aspect to the game. Players can make use of each others’ links to develop industries. Cotton mills can only deliver to open ports or to the foreign market.

Coal mines produce coal which is necessary for building of industries. Iron works produce iron which is used for the development and advancement of industries and shipyards are pure victory points.

The goal of the game is to develop industries and cause the industry tiles to flip. When the industry tiles flip, it means that production is at capacity and victory points can be scored.

After the end of the Canal Period, after victory points have been tallied, all level 1 industries and canal links are taken off the board. Now players begin the Rail Period.

Summary

brass-4Brass is a well-designed game that takes a game or two before you can wrap your head around it. But once it clicks, it clicks! I consider it to be among one of the best games that I have played. There is great tension and it feels like a race. I love how taking loans to develop industries is not as punitive as it may sound.

There are tough choices to be made with the limited selection of cards one holds and it allows for creative strategic thinking for all players.

Player interaction is high because development of canals/rails can be made use of by other players. It is a very good game and I highly recommend it.

Happy gaming.