The Losing Streak Continues (Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated)

I've never really been one to look up strategies for board games before, but after starting out 0 for 2 in my Clank! Legacy adventure, I was feeling desperate. I scoured forums, asking my own questions as well, and got a few ideas for how I could tweak my strategy. Heading into game three, here were the changes I made:

• Go for skill. I was going to gun for high skill cards right away so that I would be able to buy up the best cards. This would lead to slower attack off the top, but I would build up to that once I'd built my skill machine.
• Go for trash. Along with buying high-skill cards, I was going to try and trash my crappy cards as well. I don't want to give anything away, but something happened before this third game started that allowed me to make this strategy a focus (very lucky for me).

That was my strategy heading into game three. So, how did it go?

I lost.

Again.

My worst loss yet.

I think I had like 33 points, Stirling had 48, and Brennan had 120. How? If I hadn't known the guy since kindergarten I would be SURE he was cheating. How can he move so far across the board all the time? How does he get every single secret? How does he unlock every single new story/quest and get the bonuses? 

Not only was Brennan amazing, I was awful. I thought I was doing great because I had bought some sweet cards (one let me draw 3 more cards) that gave me points and bonuses. I had lots of movement so I was cruising along the board. Part of the problem was bad dragon draws - when I was killed by the dragon, I had only 1 or 2 Clank! left in the bag, which means mine were the ones getting drawn.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sore loser, but I've actually been ok with losing the first two games. Lots of fun things happened and we all had some times to shin. After this third game, though, I just feel bummed. The win condition didn't seem as clear so it was hard for us to know how to help/hinder each other. I didn't get to do as much cool stuff - losing is ok as long as you get to do some cool stuff. I feel less excited about going into the next game because I feel like I'm just going to lose. The game is still amazing, but, it feels either unbalanced or like I just totally stink at it.

Wow, this is quite the downer. Sorry, but that's how I feel today. I'll try to cheer up next time.