We use a collection of trapped atomic ions as a platform for the analog quantum simulation of lattice spin models. By applying spin-dependent optical dipole forces to an ion crystal, a long-range effective spin-spin interaction arises that allows the simulation of spin Hamiltonians that possess nontrivial order in their ground state. The use of mode-locked lasers to create these state-dependent potentials allows operation in a spectral region that is relatively free of laser-induced decoherence, which has previously been a limitation in efforts to scale up the system size. Single laser pulses may also be used for rapid deceleration of (neutral) molecular beams, which may provide us with a bridge over the "temperature gap" for direct cooling of molecules to ultracold temperatures.