IG88-B (50)
Aggressor (36), Attanni Mindlink (1), Fire-Control System (2), Heavy Laser Cannon (7), Feedback Array (2), IG-2000 (0), Autothrusters (2)

IG88-C (50)
Aggressor (36), Attanni Mindlink (1), Fire-Control System (2), Heavy Laser Cannon (7), Feedback Array (2), IG-2000 (0), Autothrusters (2)

Any tips or suggestions for playing this in a store tournament setting?(Asteroid placement, initial deployment)

I've had success with brobots, and I have found that dropping HLC and carrying a Mangler and an Ion Cannon makes a huge difference. You lose the doughnut hole of the HLC. I have had my range 1 primary shots miss and not been able to use 88B's ability. THAT is frustrating. Being able to choose between Ionizing and straight damage is fantastic. In tournament play you are bound to face different styles of lists, this flexibility makes you even more dangerous. If your opponent gets in a bad spot you can ionize them onto a rock, or even off the board. The mangler is a workhorse of a cannon. Those CRIT symbols make people spend tokens.

Small and Medium rocks are your friend. Turning circles around them frustrates your opponents and gives you some cover. I usually try to set up an s-curve through obstacles that is just wide enough for the base of my ship. Green Turns and boosts through the debris to frustrate pursuers, with an S-Loop at the end and a cannon in their face.

Keep your team together. Focus fire is your strong suit. Splitting the pair for one turn is ok, if you can pincer a target on the next. Play ultra defensively when you're outgunned. Arc dodge and take the shots you get. Fight on your terms.

Kill Whisper First.

Enjoy

I've had success with brobots, and I have found that dropping HLC and carrying a Mangler and an Ion Cannon makes a huge difference. You lose the doughnut hole of the HLC. I have had my range 1 primary shots miss and not been able to use 88B's ability. THAT is frustrating. Being able to choose between Ionizing and straight damage is fantastic. In tournament play you are bound to face different styles of lists, this flexibility makes you even more dangerous. If your opponent gets in a bad spot you can ionize them onto a rock, or even off the board. The mangler is a workhorse of a cannon. Those CRIT symbols make people spend tokens.

I used to feel that way about HLC on IG88 when I first got into playing them, but after a good number of games, I've realized its a non-issue. Yes, on a rare occasion, you will fire your 4 die primary attack and miss and not be able to activate the gunner effect. But it is very rare that this actually happens.

'Mangler' is decidedly worse than HLC, and I say that based on quite a bit of experience. That extra attack die makes a huge difference, especially on a ship like IG88 which can frequently stack TL + focus tokens. The 'mangler' just doesn't threaten turtled 3 agility ships with autothrusters.

I do like ion cannon though, but I'm not sure it works as well with Mindlink (haven't tried it on IG88 yet, so can't say). I think I'd rather have advanced sensors + predator to have better tools for taking advantage of ionized targets though...

I run 88B with VI, FCS, HLC, Tractor Beam, Auto Thrusters. It has worked very well so far and it gives you a point for the other ship.