So if I pop IA to avoid taking a single damage card, and in that attack I haven't taken ANY damage at all... an I still hit? As in the condition is applied regardless?

Thanks.

Whether an attack "hits" is determined before any damage cards are dealt.

Look up Hit in your Rules Reference Guide.

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Page 12, HIT: During the “Compare Results” step of attack, a ship is hit if there are any [hit] or [crit] results remaining after canceling dice. Related Topics: Attack, Dice Results

Taking damage is not a condition required to be "hit" by an attack.

2 minutes ago, StevenO said:

Taking damage is not a condition required to be "hit" by an attack.

Lt Blount always hits...

IA discards the damage card you have been dealt. e.g. IA triggers after you have been dealt the damage card, therefore it hits.

So IA won't stop you from receiving 'Harpooned!' but it could stop the effects of the condition card when suffering a crit.

IA is damage prevention, not result cancellation. You are still "hit." If it's from a Harpoon Missile, you will receive the condition. If you already have the condition and you receive an uncanceled crit result, you can IA away the card, but that result is still uncanceled and will still send bits of your ship flying into everyone.