You can release torps outside ack range, and they will travel into the target. You can do this either from a parallel path (head on, mostly, as tail-on won't catch the ship), or from a side angle.
There are tutorials with pictures and aiming tips, tricks, and clues. You do it right and you break off as the first rounds even begin firing at you. It lets you get away with a very good chance of survival. Most people don't bother doing it right, though.