The Fifth Meeple Crew
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A board games podcast featuring a group of diverse friends who offer their takes on the latest and greatest board games to hit their table and face them off 1v1 in the “Battle of the Funnest” Showdown.
Episodes
31 minutes ago
31 minutes ago
Special Episode 81: Never Again: Worst Plays of 2025
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Worst 3 Plays of 2025
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
Thursday Jan 08, 2026
Thursday Jan 08, 2026
Episode 80: Don't Bet on It: Hot Streak vs Magical Athlete
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:02 Topic of the Day!
04:24 Magical Athlete
13:35 Magical Athlete: Collector's Corner
14:40 Magical Athlete: Final Thoughts
16:22 Hot Streak
27:24 Hot Streak: Collector's Corner
27:51 Hot Streak: Final Thoughts
30:02 Battle of the Funnest Showdown
41:29 Bloopers
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
Thursday Jan 01, 2026
Thursday Jan 01, 2026
Special Episode 79: Cream of the Crop Top Plays of 2025
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:03 Top 3 Games We Played in 2025
37:32 Bloopers
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
Friday Dec 26, 2025
Friday Dec 26, 2025
Episode 78 (Mini): Toy Battle
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:02 Toy Battle
02:43 Toy Battle: The Good
08:42 Toy Battle: The Bad
15:07 Toy Battle: Final Scores
21:45 Bloopers
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
Thursday Dec 18, 2025
Thursday Dec 18, 2025
Episode 77: What's the Buzz? Honey Buzz vs Apiary
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:13 Topic of the Day!
08:22 A Listener Review!
09:10 Honey Buzz
22:41 Honey Buzz: Collector's Corner
24:52 Honey Buzz: Final Thoughts
27:22 Apiary
41:37 Apiary: Collector's Corner
42:11 Apiary: Final Thoughts
44:24 Battle of the Funnest Showdown
58:51 Bloopers
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Special Episode 76 (Trivia): Board Game Trivia Challenge
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:59 Board Game Trivia Challenge (play along with us!)
01:24 Pete's 10 Trivia Questions
31:45 Our Final Scores
33:11 Bloopers
Have any great trivia questions for us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and maybe we'll put your trivia up on our podcast in the future (10 questions minimum| 15 questions max) as always play more board games!
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Episode 75: The Enemy Within: Shadows over Camelot vs Nemesis
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:13 Topic of Discussion
04:49 Shadows over Camelot
18:17 Shadows over Camelot: Collector's Corner
18:53 Shadows over Camelot: Final Thoughts
21:34 Nemesis
39:22 Nemesis: Collector's Corner
39:51 Nemesis: Final Thoughts
42:35 Battle of the Funnest Showdown
55:40 Bloopers
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Thursday Nov 27, 2025
Episode 74 (Mini): Trinket Trove
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:59 Trinket Trove
02:33 Trinket Trove: The Good
10:12 Trinket Trove: The Bad
13:37 Trinket Trove: Final Scores
17:35 Bloopers
Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!
The Fifth Meeple
We are a diverse group of friends offering our takes on the latest and hottest titles to hit our table. Between the Collector, the Intellectual Introvert, the Goofy Noob and the Deluxifier, chances are that one of us has a background or approach to games that you can align with!
In each episode, we talk about two games that have a common link to each other, touching on best moments, frustrations, components, cost considerations, and anything else that tickles our fancy. We often (but not always) play with higher player counts, so we also touch on how the number of players impacts the gaming experience. And then, because we just can't help ourselves, we pit both games against each other in the ultimate showdown.
Tune in each episode to find out which game comes out on top in the "Battle of the Funnest Showdown"
Chris C. ~ The Intellectual Introvert
Generation X
Shy by nature, I’m almost always the quietest one at the table, but my competitive side likely has me silently scheming on how to pull out a win. A chemical engineer by trade, I love math, science, and finding better ways to do things. As a result, I love games that present an ever-changing puzzle, incorporating some luck but also a means by which to mitigate it. As the resident “old man” of the group, I’ve built an appreciation for the joy of the overall gaming experience and can take as much satisfaction from an epic loss as I can from a well-earned win.
Much of my adult gaming history has been playing solo, representing multiple players at the same time. I love the mental challenge and it’s a great way for me to explore several strategies simultaneously. When playing with this group, however, the player interaction and verbal banter really shine, and I feel like I still come out of my shell just a little more each time we play together.
Daniella N. ~ The Goofy Noob
Millennial Generation
I honestly have no clue how I got here or why David invited me to start playing games, but here I am! Growing up I played all the classics: Mouse Trap, Life, KerPlunk, Hungry Hungry Hippos, etc… Fast Forward to my middle/high school years and you’d find a very sore loser who was too competitive and hated defeat, therefore I stayed away from board games. Now in the back half of my 30’s, I’ve matured a bit and try to keep the sore losing ‘tude to a minimum.
In December of 2022, David invited me to be a part of a few game nights where I first met Emily and Emerson. They tricked me into some easier games like Azul and Quacks where winning was more luck-based and I had a few victories. Now, we’ve gained Chris and these clowns are teaching me games I need a PhD for. But, I come to game night ready, willing and able to learn and grow. I have not been on a victorious streak in a while but I'm slowly growing my knowledge and coming up with strategies. I consider myself the “goofy noob” because I like to cut the tension in the room with comments, jokes and laughter.
David G. ~ The Collector
Millennial Generation
500, 632, 750…Where did all these games come from? As someone who loves the artwork and the theme of board games, I just can’t help myself when I see a good bargain! Collecting is fun, but playing is better! If you’re looking for the type of gamer who loves the competitive aspect of our hobby and tries to outthink and outsmart his opponents, you’ll enjoy what I have to say about most games. My favorite part of the hobby is seeking out new mechanisms and discovering how they work. Because I love to study game design, unique gems like these keep me coming back to look for both new and old games to play.
When I’m not out competing, I love bringing new gamers into the hobby and showing them how amazing a modern board game can be. This passion has led me to create many different playgroups one of which has now become the Fifth Meeple. I never thought I would be a podcaster, but I feel that this diverse group of five has something unique to offer the board gaming community. I am excited for the adventure. I’m also hoping listeners will be able to connect with each one of us given that we come from various backgrounds, ages, game experience, and game interests. In the meantime, you can catch me hanging out with my new baby girl, teaching youth group at church, playing co-ops with the wife (we are too competitive to play against each other, lol), chasing our 6 cats around our small family flower farm, and last but not least, trying to “get some games to the table!”
Pete M. ~ The Deluxifier
Generation X
I’ve been playing games in one form or another all my life. As GenX'ers, it was up to us to entertain ourselves. During the day we played outdoor games like kickball, ghost in the graveyard, SPUD, or one of the many other schoolyard games. When the streetlights came on or it was too bad outside, we were playing board or card games!
In the 70’s and 80’s I played countless hours of many of the popular games of the time. I discovered more complex game titles and I was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons while in Jr. High School. My other pastime was the video arcade. My love of the arcade launched me into a computer career along with computer gaming. In the mid 90’s started playing Magic the Gathering with friends but we still played other popular games such as Settlers of Catan, Formula De and others.
My wife Eryn and I married and started our family in the mid 2000’s. Raising a family consumed much of my time, however I still did continue to play Magic the Gathering regularly when our boys were young. As our two boys grew, I found myself playing more board games with them and as a family. The past 10 years, I’ve been primarily playing board games and jumped back into the hobby 100%.
Looking to connect?
Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com