Brass: Lancashire
Brass: Lancashire explained: canal and rail eras, industry tiles, shared coal and iron, loans, markets, links and economic timing.
Build cotton mills, ports, coal mines, iron works and shipyards across Lancashire while connecting locations through canals and later railways.
Resources are shared, money is tight and the order of play changes with spending, so another player can profit from infrastructure you created.
Why We Love It
Brass: Lancashire rewards building an economy that other players want to use. A well-timed coal mine or link can create value precisely because rivals consume it.
About Brass: Lancashire
The game runs through a canal era and a rail era. Players use cards to build industries and network links, take loans, sell cotton and develop stronger industry tiles.
Many industries score only after they flip, making timing and access to shared markets central to the game.
Game at a Glance
Build Industry
Place industries where cards, networks and demand allow.
Share Resources
Coal and iron can be consumed by any player who can reach them.
Connect Markets
Canals and rails determine access and score when used well.
Manage Cash
Loans and spending shape both tempo and turn order.
Who Brass: Lancashire suits
Players who want a demanding economic game with high interaction, shared infrastructure and long-term planning.
Rules overview
Each round players use cards to take actions such as building an industry, building a canal or rail link, developing industry tiles, selling cotton or taking a loan. Coal and iron follow special sourcing rules and may come from opponents. The canal era ends first, after which obsolete industries and canals are removed and the rail era begins. Victory points come mainly from flipped industries and network links.
Key decisions
Editorial analysis: Evaluate every build twice: once for its own points and income, and again for the value it gives opponents. Spending order matters because lower spending improves next round’s position, while taking a loan at the correct moment can fund a larger tempo swing.
Common questions
How is Lancashire different from Birmingham?
Lancashire is the earlier design and uses ports, cotton and shipyards, while Birmingham adds beer and a wider industry mix.
Does turn order stay fixed?
No. The next round is ordered by how much each player spent, with lower spenders acting earlier.
Is there a solo mode?
The standard Roxley game is designed for 2–4 players.
Related games
Sources and edition notes
Facts checked September 17, 2026. This page focuses on the current Roxley edition of Martin Wallace’s original Brass design.