Ion Cannons

[invaderzim]

What is the best way to use these? I'm wondering if one per ship as some AI designs indicate is a good way to go.

I've been testing our a fleet of ships with only ion weapons and they have interesting properties. They seem to bypass shields entirely, but they don't bring down shields either, so you would need a weapon that does actual damage.

You could still have a specialized ion ship for boarding and capture, but since the AI tends to overkill targets, it would need weapons that are powerful enough to bring down their shields, but not so powerful as to destroy the target.

[Modest]

Personaly I use them one per ship. And having Ion Weapons are my top priority if I recive info about silvermist. Also Ion Cannon sometimes may be lucky and disable enemy ship's sield module - in which case it is much easier to destroy. Also if Silvermist become my biggest threat (rare, but not impossible scenario in my case) I am making usually whole fleet Ion dedicated.

But is it better to use one Ion Cannon or other weapon in it's place? I can't tell, but I elect to use it.

[invaderzim]

It seems ion cannons mostly target weapons and engines. I didn't know you could get them to damage shields.

I did some testing today in a quick start galaxy with ships equipped only with Ion Cannons. Sending 6 destroyers with 4-5 ion cannons each I was able to shut down all the guns on a starport and take it out with my normal ships quite easily. Ion cannons bypass shields and armor and only do damage to weapons and engines in my experience. Since starbases have no engines, the only thing they can target are the weapons. I'm not sure if they are most cost effective than railguns or missiles for base busting.

They're also good at shutting down capital ships so you can capture them, which is where they are uniquely useful.

What good are the area effect ion blasts though? It seems like you are as likely to disable your own ships as the enemy ships, so I don't know when I would want to use this. Maybe put the ions blasts on one or two big ships with ion defenses and send them alone?

[paShadoWn]

2 ship classes, one with only ions another with tractors and railguns mixed together in fleet are devastating. Zap, drag and obliterate. No survivors.

Ion blasts? put them on heavily shielded ships set to point blank and mix with standoff rocket launchers.

[stanberyc@yahoo.com]

[Your skill in Thread Necromancy has increased +1]

With the recent updates, what are folks thoughts on ion weapons? Useful enough to equip on your general fleets?

Thanks!

[ldog]

I put 1 or 2. Not on all ships, lately just 1 on frigates and late-game (armed) explorers. 1 or 2 on bases. I find them useful enough to have but not enough to go crazy with.
2 ion defense on everything (state-owned) which is strong enough to protect from even upgraded pulse. Since pirates love their ion cannons it's not even a second thought. Early game I have problems with pirates capping civilian bases and ships, mid to late game it doesn't seem to happen.