Something GSB1 severely needed was a minimum range order; a basic verb necessary for an understandable ranged engagement.
Units would begin backing off at half of their given attack range. But by then it was too late, and this had some glaring limitations.
The simplest way I can think of to improve on this is to have an Avoid X at: Range order, where X is a hull class. E.g: Avoid Cruisers at: 500m. The closest enemy unit of that class becomes the new driving target and the unit with the order attempts to move beyond the given range. If successful, it should resume whatever it was doing - escort, keep moving, etc.
There’s all sorts of good stuff you can do with this - a basic sanity check to avoid closing in with ranged units, have bombers avoid actual fighters, have close-ranged units hold back until enemy support is gone…
Keepaway I’m not too concerned with, as there’s always the edge of the map to push units up against. It doesn’t seem like units willingly leave the boarders of the map unless they can’t physically turn around fast enough.
The most common problem I currently have with my fleets due to lack of minimum range is the capital ship + destroyer setup. Most players array the destroyers behind their dreadnaughts, (shield support beams have up to 700m range; the heavy one goes further) and it’s generally impossible to drive up to the destroyers without physically colliding with the units in front of them.