Brass Birmingham Network & Link Rules: Canals, Rails and Your Network
In Brass: Birmingham, your network and connected locations are different concepts. Your network controls where many of your own placements are legal; general connection can use Link tiles owned by anyone for resource access.
What is part of your network?
A location is part of your network if it contains one or more of your Industry tiles or is adjacent to one or more of your Link tiles.
Where can you place a Link?
Use a Network action and place a Link on an undeveloped line adjacent to a location that is part of your network.
First-link exception
If you have no Industry tiles or Link tiles on the board, you may place a Link on any otherwise legal undeveloped line. Rail links still need their required coal.
Canal Era
You may place canal Links only on canal lines. A standard Network action places at most one canal Link for the printed £3 cost.
Rail Era
You may place rail Links only on rail lines. One rail costs £5 plus 1 coal. Alternatively, a single Network action can place two rails for £15, consuming 1 coal for each rail plus 1 beer.
Where can the beer for two rails come from?
The double-rail beer must come from a Brewery, not Merchant beer. If it comes from another player’s Brewery, the required connection must exist under the normal beer rules.
Do opponents’ Links count as your network?
No. Their Links can help make locations connected for resource/selling purposes, but they do not make those locations part of your network.
Related Brass guides
Publisher source
Rules checked September 2026.