User blog comment:Braveangel/About planetary defenses/@comment-217683-20100423090602

Actually, just looked over the relevant Codex entry again (FYI, it's the Weapons: Mass Accelerators entry under Ships and Vehicles) and it does specify that ships use their main gun at 'bombardment range', as they are powerful but difficult to aim, then goes on to provide an example of the secondary armament found on large ships (looking specifically at the Kilimanjaro-class dreadnought). Since this out-and-out proves that the big ships close with their targets during the course of the battle, the Codex isn't inconsistent at all. Especially in light of the fact that the very Codex entry that details the range of 'knife-fight' combat also states that this is the range combat generally occurs at during trans-relay assaults, which do feature heavy vessels, of at least cruiser weight (and in the case of trans-relay assaults against planets, often dreadnoughts as well).