All the other actions allow you to discard less useful cards that you cannot or do not want to play. The card type only matters when performing the Build action, which we will discuss. However, in the case of five of the six actions, any card may be played. (Am I pronouncing “ Worcester” correctly? My British friends tell me I’m not.)Įach of these locations has a number of corresponding cards, and throughout the course of the game players use them to perform various actions. It falls into that “Dry Themeless Euro” category, where you attempt to simply accrue more points than the other players by playing more efficiently, but don’t hold that against it! The main game board has a ton of locations that make me (a Canadian) super self-conscious. The two halves of the game have a lot of similarities, but with some key differences that affect strategy and scoring across the eras. Easily accommodates various player countsīirmingham is played across two eras, the Canal Era and the Rail Era.A streamlined ruleset that is (mostly) intuitive once you know how the game works.Lina Cossette, David Forest, Damien Mammoliti have done a superb job creating an industrial revolution inspired aesthetic that maintains dark, crisp features while never sacrificing clarity.A ton of player interaction without ever feeling like you are kingmaking or forcing confrontation.

You can specialize in one path or dip your toes into several. Here is a quick list of Birmingham’s greatest strengths: What does a game need to do to hold onto my #1 spot among hundreds of different games? Well, Birmingham scratches all of the itches that I didn’t even know I had. This immersion allows me to play hundreds of different titles each year, learning more than 2 games a week on average. Mine were bought separately.īoard games play a major role in my life, from work to relaxation. Some Iron Clays are included in the deluxe version of Brass: Birmingham. I should also clarify that I have never played Wallace’s original Brass, so I can’t speak to how Birmingham improves it, beyond the aesthetic advancements. On May 11th, 2017, ten years after Brass ’ original release, Roxley successfully Kickstarted a new edition and a sequel: Brass: Lancashire and Brass: Birmingham (hereafter referred to simply as Birmingham). In Brass: Birmingham, Gavan Brown and Matt Tolman were added into the design credits, adapting and changing the original structure. If you have the luxury, I always recommend trying before you buy!)īrass: Birmingham is a sequel to Martin Wallace’s original Brass, from 2007.

There are two versions-a retail and a deluxe-and if I’d known how much I would love it I would have opted for the deluxe in an instant. I buy plenty of games, so hitting a dud every once in a while isn’t a huge deal, but I still wish I hadn’t impulse bought this game. (Even though Brass: Birmingham is, in fact, my favourite game and I bought it on a whim, I will caution others against impulse buying. So, I bought it on a whim from my Friendly Local Game Store, and immediately went about learning it. I had heard good things about the production quality of the game, had heard that it was a heavier economic title, and that Roxley really hit it out of the park with this sequel. Like many of my wonderful experiences in gaming, Brass: Birmingham was an impulse buy. Back with another one of the games that skyrocketed up my list of favourites, this time with Brass: Birmingham, my #1 game, up there with A Feast for Odin.

Brass birmingham roxley