What to love whilst losing

I still lack confidence when playing Malifaux even after multiple tournaments and tens of friendly games. I get serious, all too serious. Maybe this is a problem of mindset; I don't start a game planning to win but simply to not lose. I tend to rush the game and get my models in harm's way early on. And kick myself. On the other hand I think getting my models blasted off the board is more fun than edging around each other. Which is why I seem not to have learnt my lesson.

Some of the best games have been against people way better than me with beautiful models and smashing deployment and movement strategies. Even if I don't win much I still love the aesthetic and the complexity of the game.

Top of my list of things to remind myself I love about Malifaux even when on a losing streak: The humour. Let's take some rosy instances:

• a much bigger model taking on a smaller model and failing. For some reason Wendigo is blessed with good luck and survived many attacks he really shouldn't have, plus hearing 'he's got how many wounds!?' and 'he's a minion?!' never grows old.
• Learning that those little rules, like when to use a soulstone, can save you from impending doom. And....flip to damage prevent.
• Getting tricksy tips from top players. So I was informed that the next time I face Dreamer, I should take Joss whose attack prevents him from passing the damage onto the daydreams. *Evil Laugh*
• Any time a red joker comes up at the least opportune moment. Oooo 1 damage from a nurse.

I think laughing in the face of fate and my own lesser skills makes the game much richer. Granted I understand this might be frustrating for some of my opponents at times. Believe me I have totally lost my sense of humour/schadenfreude for entire games....cringing at the memory of one against Gremlins right now - so much pushing around of Ice Golem. *Shakes head* Plus I will never forgive Lilith and her conjuring impassable trees. Not funny. Not even a little bit.

Another funny aspect of Malifaux that is much more underrated than those kind mentioned above is the apt names for attacks that you can imagine being acted out. Like Ironsides' 'Are you looking at me?' I imagine her battering her eyelashes and clenching her fists.