BRASS LANCASHIRE
Solitaire Rules
Overview
The human player takes on an automaton, ‘the Brassbot’, and seeks to beat their score. The
Brassbot follows all of the normal rules of play but never handles money or records their income*.
Set-Up
Set up as for a two player game but do not deal the Brassbot any cards or give them any money.
Place the ‘end of phase’ marker 10 cards from the bottom.
Play
The player takes their turn as normal and will always go first in each round. The player follows all
the normal rules of the game, including the collection of income at the end of each turn. The player
stops drawing new cards from the draw pile when the ‘end of phase’ marker is reached.
On its turn the Brassbot takes the top card from the deck and uses it as follows, except for the last
round of each era;
If the Brassbot gets a location card, it takes the first action that it can legally using the following table
of priorities;
Build Build in the card location using the following preferences;
Shipyard > Cotton Mill > Port > Iron Works > Coal Mine
Note that this action should not be taken in the event of Birkenhead or Barrow-in-
Furness during the canal era.
Link Construct a link in accordance with the normal rules, including consuming coal for
rail links. The Brassbot will always build 2 rail links where possible. If the Brassbot
has no remaining links then this action cannot be taken.
The link should be chosen based on the following preferences;
A link that completes a connection between a Brassbot unflipped
unconnected mill and any market, giving preference to its own ports.
A link that completes the connection between a Brassbot unconnected port
and the Brassbot’s network.
A link that will give the most potential points based on the current placement
of tiles (assuming that all industries will be flipped by the end of the era).
In the event of a tie on these criteria the northern-most link should be constructed.
Develop Develop two tiles using the following preferences;
Shipyard > Cotton Mill > Port > Iron Works > Coal Mine
removing the level 1 tiles for all industries before developing any level 2 tiles. Iron
must be consumed as normal. Do not take this action if it will develop the last tile for
an industry.
Borrow The Brassbot ‘borrows’ money. As they have no money this effectively means that
nothing happens.
Note that the Brassbot must consume coal and iron as per the normal rules for all actions but never
pays money for anything. The Brassbot’s coal mines and iron works are flipped in accordance with
the normal rules of play.
If the Brassbot gets an industry card, it takes the first action that it can legally using the following
table of priorities;
Sell The Brassbot sells using the following preferences;
Its lowest level mill to its lowest level port, followed by any of its own ports
Any of its mills to its lowest level port, followed by any of its ports
Its lowest level mill to the distant market
Any of its mills to the distant market
Its lowest level mill to the player’s highest level port
Its lowest level mill to any of the player’s ports
Any of its mills to any of the player’s ports
When selling to the distant market the distant market marker is moved by the
relevant number of steps according to a randomly drawn distant market card. The
Brassbot will not attempt to sell to the distant market if the distant market marker is
already on 0. If the distant market marker gets to X when the Brassbot attempts to
sell then the normal rules apply and the Brassbot has ‘wasted’ its turn.
Develop Develop two tiles for the industry shown on the card. Iron must be consumed as
normal. Do not take this action if it will develop the last tile for an industry.
Link Construct a link in accordance with the normal rules, including consuming coal for
rail links. The Brassbot will always build 2 rail links where possible. If the Brassbot
has no remaining links then this action cannot be taken.
The link should be chosen based on the following preferences;
A link that completes a connection between a Brassbot unflipped
unconnected mill and any market, giving preference to its own ports.
A link that completes the connection between a Brassbot unconnected port
and the Brassbot’s network.
A link that will give the most potential points based on the current placement
of tiles (assuming that all industries will be flipped by the end of the era).
In the event of a tie on these criteria the northern-most link should be constructed.
Borrow The Brassbot ‘borrows’ money. As they have no money this effectively means that
nothing happens.
During the last round of each era, the Brassbot uses the following priorities;
Sell The Brassbot sells using the following preferences;
Its lowest level mill to its lowest level port, followed by any of its own ports
Any of its mills to its lowest level port, followed by any of its ports
Its lowest level mill to the distant market
Any of its mills to the distant market
Its lowest level mill to the player’s highest level port
Its lowest level mill to any of the player’s ports
Any of its mills to any of the player’s ports
When selling to the distant market the distant market marker is moved by the
relevant number of steps according to a randomly drawn distant market card. The
Brassbot will not attempt to sell to the distant market if the distant market marker is
already on 0. If the distant market marker gets to X when the Brassbot attempts to
sell then the normal rules apply and the Brassbot has ‘wasted’ its turn.
Build Build in the card location using the following preferences;
Shipyard > Iron Works > Coal Mine
This action is only relevant if a location card is drawn.
Link Construct a link in accordance with the normal rules, including consuming coal for
rail links. The Brassbot will always build 2 rail links where possible. The link
constructed should be the one that will give the most potential points (assuming that
all tiles will be flipped by the end of the era). In the event of a tie build the northern-
most link.
Borrow The Brassbot ‘borrows’ money. As they have no money this effectively means that
nothing happens.
Era and game end
Points are scored as normal at the end of each era and all links and level 1 industries are removed as
normal at the end of the canal era. Remember that there should be 2 spare cards left in the deck at
the end of the canal era. At the end of the canal era the deck of cards is reshuffled and the
Rothschild marker is placed 8 cards from the bottom of the pile. The player draws no more cards
after this marker is reached and cannot borrow any further money. The player (or Brassbot) with
the highest score wins.
*Advanced game
For players who crave a real test then use the rules above but record the income for the Brassbot
throughout the game (not the money, just the income including a drop of 3 anytime a ‘borrow’
action is required). Add the absolute amount of the Brassbot’s income to its final score and try to
beat that!
Brian Miller
Revised 5th November 2018
