Hey, no it's not another what shall I buy list, I am decided now. But what I want to know is about ion builds. When I was asking for list advice I was given this list:

3xGold Squadron Pilot(18) +Ion Cannon Turret(5)
Ibtisam(28) + Ion Cannon(3)

And in my first game I went up against:

Blue Squadron Pilot+Ion Cannon

Blue Squadron Pilot+Ion Cannon

Blue Squadron Pilot+Ion Cannon

Biggs Darklighter

Now the second list I heard is awful, so what makes them awful? Here are my 2 questions:

1) How to use Ion builds

2) How to counter Ion builds (this is mainly what I need to know)

Thought it would be something everyone would be interested in knowing.

Hitting someone with ion helps you determine approximately where they will be for the next round. The ship which has been hit by an ion can only move 1 forward, but they still get an action to barrel roll or boost. Knowing about where they will be, you can set your pieces to launch range specific attacks against this target. You can ion someone in close proximity, k-turn behind them, and wipe them out from behind. Ion is good for defense. You can keep a player pointed in the wrong direction and slowly kill him with a pair of y-wings armed with ion turrets.

Additionally, you can ion someone off of the play field or into an asteroid. If your opponent has a player which gives benefits to others (howlrunner), you can ion that ship to break up their formation and minimize their special abilities.

Ion Cannon is an excellent Control option. Basically, it's best used by the guy who doesn't want to predict your movements. Putting one on every B-wing means you can have one ion-snipe while the other two k-turn to eliminate it, have one of them snipe the next time, et c.

my preferred ion build is

2x gold squadron w/ ion turret

2x blue squadron with ion cannon and fire control system

Y-wings provide turret threat so you aren't as easily outmaneuvered, and B-wings provide real damage output. FCS takes advantage of the ion cannon on the B-wings by letting them fire the ion, then move to range 1 for a followup shot with TL+focus

it's a little gimmicky but I think it provides a good balance of ion control and firepower, and you have loads of HP for the opponent to chew through. Y-wings go in front while B-wings follow, taking advantage of their range 3 ion shots and then following up with buffed attacks on the ioned targets or cleaning up after the Y-wings

Draco your the first to give any credit to the triple B-wings with Ion Cannons, obviously not a tournament level list but if you encountered it at one how would you counter that list? And the idea of a B-wing ionizing you and then k turning behind it sounds awesome, even better if it were Ibtisam who would love to gain that stress token.

Ions don't get enough love, because people concentrate on damage too much.

Most hilarious moment I've had in the game was ionizing a ship onto an asteroid, maneuvering my shuttle (which ionized it in the first plce) in front of that asteroid so they'd get stuck on it again, and then parking. They took a damage from the asteroid twice, and blew up. It is the best way to kill anything, ever.

Fairly efficient, too, 'cause i used those turns to concentrate fire on their Firespray, which went down shortly thereafter.

Second favorite moment wasn't really connected to this thread, but here goes.

Opponent was running Roark Garnett with Moldy Crow and Blaster Turret, alongside 2 Blue Squadron Pilots, each with Heavy Laser Cannon, Engine Upgrade, and Fire-Control Systems (99 point fleet). I threw down a Proton Bomb, which hit Roark and one of the B-Wings. The two face-up damage cards (go under shields from the Proton Bomb, btw) were both Munition Failures, causing them to discard the HLC, but more horribly the turret off of the Crow.

The turn previous, I had destroyed the other B-wing, so this was particularly funny.

I have personally faced the two gold with ion, two blue with ion build a few times and it is a real pain to play against, nasty.

All the ships are so tough that by the time you have focused fire you have probably been ioned.

My friend then tends to use the Golds to keep one or two ships ioned while the blues pile on dmg with normal guns.

Proton bombs are good if you can make them work effectively.

Got to go will continue later.

I got second in a tournament with an ion y-wing by ctrolling the last 2 B-Wings to death. Ion builds work better against some lists than others.

Delivery finished im back.

You could certainly build to counter the build specifically but then fail against something else.

I find biggs works well against these lists cos they all have to Target him leaving your othwr ahips some breathing room.

Also if they ion biggs rhey are killing him slowly.

The other is turrets, ie falcon so you can fire at the ahip chasing you.

Lastly I find interceptors quite good especially with PTL so they can still boost or barrel roll after being ioned, hopefully out of range, then turn and focus fire flying past their attacker.

As a tip i would suggest never lining your ship up with an asteroid, even if next tuen you could turn round it. I have been ioned into an asteroid, even my own proximity mine too often. Same goes for edge of map obviously.

Obvious tip two. If against ywings try and kerp at range 3

I think the money ship for Ions is the Y-Wing. I've tried them on B-Wings and there are just better options for the B-Wing. The turret on a Y and it's tank like nature make it the perfect Ion delivery system.

2 Gold squadron with Ion Turrets

2 Blue Squadron with Fire Control

6 points left for flavor.

It's a pretty tough build. I like either a Proton Torp on one Blue and an R5 on each Y, or an Advanced Proton Torp on one Blue.

Oh I found out co-incidentally the winner of the tournament that was held a few months ago near where I am flew this list:

Rebel Operative+Ion Cannon Turret

Rebel Operative+Ion Cannon Turret

Blue Squadron Pilot+Fire Control System+Autoblaster

Blue Squadron Pilot+Fire Control System+Autoblaster

It did very well, it won

I can see how that would work.

Would be tempted to fly gold not rebel op myself and drop fire control systems, I just find 5he hawks so fragile.

But like I say i am yet to face any autoblasters.

Yet to witness their power