Brass: Birmingham vs Brass: Lancashire
A side-by-side comparison of two of the most-asked-about board games — using only verified specs from our catalogue. No invented rules, no fluff.
Specs and BoardGameGeek rankings current as of June 2026. Gaps in our data show as a dash (—).
| Brass: Birmingham | Brass: Lancashire | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2018 | 2007 |
| Players | 2–4 | 2–4 |
| Playtime | ~60 min | ~60 min |
| Recommended age | 14+ | 14+ |
| Complexity (BGG weight) | 3.9 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| BGG rank | #1 | #22 |
| Designers | Gavan Brown, Matt Tolman, Martin Wallace | Martin Wallace |
| Key mechanics | Chaining, End Game Bonuses, Hand Management, Income | Chaining, End Game Bonuses, Hand Management, Income |
Both games share these mechanics: Chaining, End Game Bonuses, Hand Management, Income, Loans, Market, Multi-Use Cards, Network and Route Building, Ownership, Tags, Tech Trees / Tech Tracks, Tile Placement, Turn Order: Stat-Based, Variable Set-up.
Which should you get?
Based only on the specs above — not on opinion:
- Both sit at a similar weight (3.9 and 3.8 of 5 on BoardGameGeek), so neither is the obvious 'lighter' pick.
- On raw BoardGameGeek ranking, Brass: Birmingham currently sits higher (#1 vs #22).
Both are well-loved games; the "right" one depends on your group. Read the full entries for Brass: Birmingham and Brass: Lancashire.
Where to buy
Brass: Birmingham
Find Brass: Birmingham on Amazon →Brass: Lancashire
Find Brass: Lancashire on Amazon →Amazon links are affiliate search links. As an Amazon Associate, EveryGameMade earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Is Brass: Birmingham or Brass: Lancashire harder to learn?
They're close: Brass: Birmingham is rated 3.9 of 5 and Brass: Lancashire 3.8 of 5 on BoardGameGeek, so both are a similar level to learn.
Which is faster to play, Brass: Birmingham or Brass: Lancashire?
Both take about 60 minutes.
How many players do Brass: Birmingham and Brass: Lancashire support?
Brass: Birmingham plays with 2–4 players; Brass: Lancashire plays with 2–4 players.