Battle Strategies - Optimal Firing Range

[tbontob]

In the "Movement" section of the Strategies window, we are required to make a choice as to our primary and secondary movement.

Four of the choices include
-Optimum Firing Range
-Maximum Firing Range
-Short Firing Range
-Point Blank Firing Range

I assume, (correct me if I am wrong) that the following applies
-Maximum - weapons are fired at maximum range
-Short - weapons are fired at a medium range
-Point Blank - weapons are fired next to the target

My questions are:
1) What factors are used to determine for the optimal firing
2) What is the short or medium range?

[Baron Munchausen]

In SE III 'Optimal Range' meant that best range to damage the target without getting damaged in return. So, there was some combination of your weapon range and damage considered with the enemy ship's weapon range and damage. In SE IV I think it's simpler, though. I think it just tries to attack from the range where you get max damage from your weapon. I've certainly never seen a ship using 'Optimal' strategy try to open up the distance with an enemy once it had closed, except the Ukra-Tal ships using the modded Plasma Bolt which does more damage at mid-range than close range. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif