Interesting - my wife and I found Brass Birmingham to be much more cut throat due to the ability to undercut an opponents beer to undo their strategy, while Brass Lancashire is less cutthroat because you only need a low cost easily accessible port or distant market (if distant market tiles are still available) to sell goods at. Another thing? If you are familiar with the original Brass, well there was a "successor" game called Age of Industry which Brass Birmingham borrowed some elements from. Thus while everyone else seems to be going "oooh, beer and manufactured goods are so new an inviting" we were like "oh, I've seen some of this before - its like Pandemic Legacy Season 1 after playing all the expansion content of the original." So why do I think Brass Lancashire is greater? Purity of play an elegance. The game stays engaging without all the gimmicky market tiles and beer restrictions that make the game more about undercutting an opponents opportunity ("Ha! You can't sell now or build because you don't have any beer - I drank it all!") and more about enticing your opponent to help you outperform them. Remember that whole link argument? Links are all about getting your opponents to score you points - they spend a fortune on industries to flip them for a moderate benefit, and you invest pennies to get a small reward; but in the end, your return-on-investment rate is way better than theirs, and you win by links. You didn't undercut or stop your opponent, you worked with them. So which is greater? It depends on your group. If you are the type of person who can only have fun by stopping your opponents from accomplishing anything, then Brass Birmingham is greater. However, it you are wonderfully passive aggressive and like to pretend you're helping someone accomplish their goals when really you are making them your unwitting minion on your path to victory, Brass Lancashire (and the GMT COIN series) are greater. So my game of choice is Brass and Brass Lancashire (I like the tiles and no need of a massive space wasting industry board in the original, plus the cards with the star location to find it on the map quickly... oh, and the metal coins from the deluxe version along with its tile tray with lid and its brighter colors for my aging eyes and... well you get the point; but Brass Lancashire has pretty color zones and the cards can be fanned to the left or right, so its got that going for it,... oh, I'm ranting again; sorry). Also, top hats beat beer. Thanks for another entertaining video! Look forward to seeing more in the future.
Wow! Thanks for the insights! I didn't know about Age of Industry. Do you reckon Birmingham felt more cut-throat to you because you were both so much more experienced with Lancashire and understood the strategies for mitigating the worst of the link placement mistakes you can make as a new player?
Sorry for the long delay in the reply. Went through playing a few more games to try to identify what it is about the two games. I think Birmingham feels more cutthroat is because many goods have a double requirement to sell. In Lancashire, you sell at either a port _or_ the world market (if still open); in Birmingham, you connect to the markets _and_ need beer. The person who controls the beer (or drinks up an opponent's beer) will have a decisive edge in the game - so you need to cut opponents off from this vial resource. In Lancashire, I find it is less about depriving an opponent of resources but trying to get them to succeed by benefiting you more (or a little from every player, so that the sum of the rivals to you is greater than what any one rival does). Birmingham is not a bad game at all, but I think Lancashire ekes out ahead. Lancashire also is an evolution on Brass (Brass 1.5, not quite Brass 2.0), and Brass has definitely stood the test of time in terms of fans and recommendations (from what I have seen online). Birmingham feels a little bit like a "hotness" effect. Maybe it will last, maybe it will fade - it is unproven compared to Lancashire.
I prefer Lancashire, but I have been playing Brass for years, so Lancashire is like my first love. Once I’ve indoctrinated new players to Brass through Birmingham, I put them through the ringer with Lancashire. The better tacticians will always come out on top in Lancashire.
Birmingham is the superior the thing is, it gives you freedom on ur strategy and that is what lancashire players dont get. No tightness derives your game its just you planning for your industries.
I'd pitch in that the breweries outside of cities are easier to steal from, as you generally have to connect to them to even build there. Good stuff, otherwise.
It's also a bit of a misnomer to say that the potteries can't be developed. The idea is to develop every other one, unless you're intending to use the intermediate cheap ones to grab a rare pottery spot, with the intent of overbuilding it to the better one after.
Welcome back. A strong start to the series. Clearly Brass: Birmingham is superior because it is set in the Midlands (albeit the west midlands) rather than the north (where it is apparently grim) or the south (which is apparently quite soft).
A great start to the new series! I just can't get past the name of the games because it always takes me back to the ITV series that was made in the 80s. Also, the complete erasure of Wales does somewhat annoy seeing as Cardiff and then Newport were the world's largest ports during that period due to the export of Welsh coal. 🏴🏴🏴😉
"...puddles outside of pubs, you know what they are made of don't you?! Regardles of which county urin..." ... I just spilled coffee all over
That beer is a truly lovely color.
Yay! Another episode of "Which is Greater"! I can now choose the right version of Brass with confidence. Thank you. :)
Enjoyed that thanks, yet to play brassbrum but ill get there
#TeamLancashire
Whee! WiG is back!
Interesting - my wife and I found Brass Birmingham to be much more cut throat due to the ability to undercut an opponents beer to undo their strategy, while Brass Lancashire is less cutthroat because you only need a low cost easily accessible port or distant market (if distant market tiles are still available) to sell goods at.
Another thing? If you are familiar with the original Brass, well there was a "successor" game called Age of Industry which Brass Birmingham borrowed some elements from. Thus while everyone else seems to be going "oooh, beer and manufactured goods are so new an inviting" we were like "oh, I've seen some of this before - its like Pandemic Legacy Season 1 after playing all the expansion content of the original."
So why do I think Brass Lancashire is greater? Purity of play an elegance. The game stays engaging without all the gimmicky market tiles and beer restrictions that make the game more about undercutting an opponents opportunity ("Ha! You can't sell now or build because you don't have any beer - I drank it all!") and more about enticing your opponent to help you outperform them. Remember that whole link argument? Links are all about getting your opponents to score you points - they spend a fortune on industries to flip them for a moderate benefit, and you invest pennies to get a small reward; but in the end, your return-on-investment rate is way better than theirs, and you win by links. You didn't undercut or stop your opponent, you worked with them.
So which is greater? It depends on your group. If you are the type of person who can only have fun by stopping your opponents from accomplishing anything, then Brass Birmingham is greater. However, it you are wonderfully passive aggressive and like to pretend you're helping someone accomplish their goals when really you are making them your unwitting minion on your path to victory, Brass Lancashire (and the GMT COIN series) are greater. So my game of choice is Brass and Brass Lancashire (I like the tiles and no need of a massive space wasting industry board in the original, plus the cards with the star location to find it on the map quickly... oh, and the metal coins from the deluxe version along with its tile tray with lid and its brighter colors for my aging eyes and... well you get the point; but Brass Lancashire has pretty color zones and the cards can be fanned to the left or right, so its got that going for it,... oh, I'm ranting again; sorry). Also, top hats beat beer.
Thanks for another entertaining video! Look forward to seeing more in the future.
Wow! Thanks for the insights! I didn't know about Age of Industry. Do you reckon Birmingham felt more cut-throat to you because you were both so much more experienced with Lancashire and understood the strategies for mitigating the worst of the link placement mistakes you can make as a new player?
Sorry for the long delay in the reply. Went through playing a few more games to try to identify what it is about the two games.
I think Birmingham feels more cutthroat is because many goods have a double requirement to sell. In Lancashire, you sell at either a port _or_ the world market (if still open); in Birmingham, you connect to the markets _and_ need beer. The person who controls the beer (or drinks up an opponent's beer) will have a decisive edge in the game - so you need to cut opponents off from this vial resource.
In Lancashire, I find it is less about depriving an opponent of resources but trying to get them to succeed by benefiting you more (or a little from every player, so that the sum of the rivals to you is greater than what any one rival does).
Birmingham is not a bad game at all, but I think Lancashire ekes out ahead. Lancashire also is an evolution on Brass (Brass 1.5, not quite Brass 2.0), and Brass has definitely stood the test of time in terms of fans and recommendations (from what I have seen online). Birmingham feels a little bit like a "hotness" effect. Maybe it will last, maybe it will fade - it is unproven compared to Lancashire.
Brilliant. Thanks!!!
I prefer Lancashire, but I have been playing Brass for years, so Lancashire is like my first love. Once I’ve indoctrinated new players to Brass through Birmingham, I put them through the ringer with Lancashire. The better tacticians will always come out on top in Lancashire.
"Now you're ready for the REAL game!"
Birmingham is the superior the thing is, it gives you freedom on ur strategy and that is what lancashire players dont get. No tightness derives your game its just you planning for your industries.
I'd pitch in that the breweries outside of cities are easier to steal from, as you generally have to connect to them to even build there.
Good stuff, otherwise.
It's also a bit of a misnomer to say that the potteries can't be developed. The idea is to develop every other one, unless you're intending to use the intermediate cheap ones to grab a rare pottery spot, with the intent of overbuilding it to the better one after.
"Until Brexit hits and all the petrol runs out." Welcome to two years later.
Two years before
A great opener to the new series!
Cant seem to find Birmingham, only lancanshire (I’m new, so I’m not familiar with other stores)
Lancashire players really pushing hard to convince everybody that birmingham is really fine but lancashire is just better!😂
Great video!
Welcome back. A strong start to the series. Clearly Brass: Birmingham is superior because it is set in the Midlands (albeit the west midlands) rather than the north (where it is apparently grim) or the south (which is apparently quite soft).
I have Lancashire. Is it a good choice ? Plse anybody reply.
They are both great choices!
nice hat
That petrol joke... Are you guys time travelers?
A great start to the new series!
I just can't get past the name of the games because it always takes me back to the ITV series that was made in the 80s.
Also, the complete erasure of Wales does somewhat annoy seeing as Cardiff and then Newport were the world's largest ports during that period due to the export of Welsh coal.
🏴🏴🏴😉
Matt was in Cardiff over Easter and was amazed by the history there. Brass: Wales is the expansion that needs to be made!
Great to have you back gents
Great to be back!
Lol @ When Brexit hits and the petrol runs out... True to this day.
So few likes compared with the views. I disagree with the bimingham victory, but the video was great as usual :D.
I prefer Lancashire, because it is more simple to explain, and still is very strategic game.
Surviving in Midlands requires beer.... hm...
We speak as two guys who grew up in the Midlands :p technically at least
Liked and subscribed one minute in :D
Welcome!
subscribed :)