
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,046
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Vikingar: The Conquest of Worlds
- 2–6 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2017

2018
Rules assistance for 40
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
40 is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Jean-Thomas Rioux and Étienne Rioux and its main mechanics are Take That, Push Your Luck, and Memory.
In a medina on the borders of the kingdom thrives a dishonest merchant with excessive wealth. Gold coins, fabrics and carpets pile up in its hidden and well-guarded den. In the middle of his treasure are nine bluish sapphires of great purity. Nine precious stones that make you dream. In the city, looters, thieves, and other rogues start a challenge: Whoever steals the most of these stones this night will be crowned king of thieves. Will you answer the call? Will you brave the forty thieves who keep the loot? The Gameplay: The game is made of 40 thieves cards and 20 special cards. Each card has a color and a symbol on the back, but only one is true. Players have to use deduction, memory and push their luck to arrange suits of symbols or colours to steal a sapphire. Place 16 cards into a 4 x 4 grid face down. The Sapphire gems are placed into the gaps between the cards. Each player turn has four phases; 1: ‘make a hand’ phase where the player ensures they have a hand of three cards drawn from the pile 2: ‘glimpse’ phase, when they can peek at a card on the grid without showing others what it is. 3:‘action’ phase, where the player can play card or do action on card from the grid. 4:‘attempt a steal’ phase, where the player managed to arrange suites of symbols or colours to steal a sapphire. Once all the Sapphire gems from the grid have been taken, the game ends. The one with the most Sapphire gems wins.
40 supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 40 is 15–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 40 for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
40 has a complexity rating of 1.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
40 belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy, Memory, and Arabian. Its main mechanics are Take That, Push Your Luck, and Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 40 are: Jean-Thomas Rioux and Étienne Rioux. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 40 as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.