"Close to maximum range and open fire"

[Zeebie (OP)]

How would I give a task group an order like "Close to maximum range and open fire"? I have found it frustrating to deploy my fighters effectively.  Right now I can only see two options:

1. Set a target for the squadron, set them to open fire, give the command to follow.  I get interrupted every 5 seconds while they are out of range,but they open fire immediately once they are in range.
2. Tell the squadron to follow the target.  Once they complete that order, tell them to open fire.  This way I don't get interrupted every 5 seconds, but they don't open fire right away and they get nailed by close-in weapons.

Is there some way to get the best of both worlds? I assume autofire would do this, but it seems to have problems.

[MarcAFK]

You can specify a range to follow by, I'm not sure how to get it exactly right however as I've been mailed by gauss cannons when my fighters followed a little closer than specified.

[Erik L]

You can always set the follow distance to your maximum weapon range. Of course, that might be less than your opponent's weapon range...

[TheDeadlyShoe]

@marcAFK:  that would be because of initiative.  everything in aurora actually moves in order. highest initiative moves last, so if an enemy has higher iniative your follow distance will usually be off by (enemy speed * time elapsed)

i.e.

if you are set to follow an AI ship at 100,000 km, and the enemy ship has a speed of 6000km/s:  your ships move to 100,000km of the enemy, who then makes his own move. in this case, it might elect to move towards your ships, resulting in a final range of 70,000 km.

@zeebie: if using follow distance normally doesnt work, you could issue a 'move to' with a specified distance slightly beyond weapons range. IIRC, it should interrupt you when they hit that distance.