The Broadsword Gunship is a UEF air unit. It is an anti-ground unit. It can also engage other gunships in a pinch. It is more expensive than the Eagle Eye, and it has a weaker weapon but more armor and does not do bombing runs, instead staying in one place. Like most air units that attack ground units, the Broadsword is more vulnerable to air units so is best when surrounded by Wasp Fighters.
If you are making a quick transition into air, then the AC-1000 Terror is a good bet.
If you have heavily invested in the air research, have veteran factories or a Mega Fortress, then you should stick to Broadswords.
In all cases, the best technique is to mix both. Have the AC-1000 Terror tank and soak up damage for the weaker Broadswords, while they deal heavier concentrated damage to target units.
Tips
Gunships are a highly effective combatant against enemy ground units early on. Late-game almost any ground attack will include anti-air (Rock Head Tanks gain anti-air upgrades, Cybran players will bring Adaptors, and Illuminate groups include Urchinows or even Airnomos), but early on few players will dedicate resources to traditionally weak mobile anti-air units. Keeping this in mind means that even a few gunships can easily and effectively level almost any early ground force with their high damage output.
Gunships fly low enough to attack from inside enemy shields. Use their high attack power directly on the shield generators to quickly shut down enemy defenses.
As gunships don't need to make sweeping passes to attack (unlike bombers) they make ideal units for attacking vulnerable parts of an enemy base without exposing themselves to air defences in other parts. Use their combination of power and precision to exploit minor weaknesses in an enemy base, particularly flanks and exposed mass extractors outside the range of emplaced anti-air.
Gunships pack a great deal of health and firepower for their cost, and can apply precision outside the scope of most other units. These traits make them incredibly effective against enemy ACUs when moving in groups. A medium-large number of gunships (typically fourteen or more) can usually destroy an enemy ACU even in the presence of anti-aircraft weapons.
Approximately eight or nine Broadswords can destroy an equally upgraded anti-air turret without suffering more than one casualty, none if upgraded with shields. Use this metric to limit losses to your air groups.
Gunships have the ability to shoot at other gunships, this also includes firing upon and taking fire from experimental gunships. Remember this if using gunship swarms against experimental gunships as they have extreme firepower that they can shoot back at you.
its not a good idea to engage a soulripper with thease, you will take it down with 75 + gunships but you will lose almost all of your broadswords...if you are fighting a ac-1000 with thease you will probaly win with 35 + gunships...
once UEF gets linked-railgun broadswords lose some of thier edge, once this upgrade is reserched you may want to build more and rely on them less. that said, in numbers they will still decemate tanks, and will have a better cost to damage ratio[linked railgun is when all units gain a antiair package,titans,tanks,misssile lanchers ect]
