Helicopters - a great subject to balance. : )

While Eastern Gunships deserve to respect and the same is with western Att Heli. I think "standard" versions of helis have simply too low damage to be useful.

Helicopters are specialized units, designed to fight infantry, or armored targets, or submarines. Common units have good damage against them (ASF, Strikers, Mechs, AFV, ships ). While situation with Attack Helicopters isn't tragic because they are nice against SAMs, Standard Gunship's poor 7/9/12 15-24 HP sounds like a waste of resources.

I propose:
9/12/15 infantry dmg for every Gunship
9/12/15 armored dmg for every Attack helicopter

Eastern doctrine Gunship : have enough bonuses already - hp bonus, sight range, requirements ( maybe range bonus as @Seele07 suggests )
Western doctrine Attack helicopter: have enough bonuses already - hp bonus, research time, requirements ( maybe range bonus ).

actually I like building gunships - and now they cost supplies only instead of components.

In the coming patch we are increasing the FERRY ranges for all helis.

Also we are considering giving EU an early gunship - similar to Russia.

Finally we are pulling Gunships to Airbase level 1

- early units - good against inf

"actually I like building gunships"

Actually, me too, but eastern or western specialization, and btw they look cool. : )

"early units - good against inf"

I'm afraid that if something is "early unit", It will be practically limted to "make 5 at the beginning, and nothing more". I think they need to be more attractive to master them (edit: in EU doctrine mostly).

I concur - that's why we are changing them. They do have uses for me even in mid or late though. Not in masses - given, but in small stacks.

"They do have uses for me even in mid or late though."

Any tutorial for EU Gunships for example ?
(In my opinion they almost die confronting with common ground stack )

sure - the eternal hunt for insurgents - also the fact that they serve as "recon" in the air and display. One thing I found extremely amusing is "invading" neutral airspace with helicopters using the rivers.

Select a river next to a neutral city and voila you are now officially spying without repercussions (lorewise I envision these to be low level NOE scouting missions following the river valley)

also you can use them as flying "guard dogs" against special forces - put them on patrol over your most endangered infiltration points (TDs etc).

I just like Helis.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by TDs, sorry. I assume you don't mean tank destroyers?

"flying "guard dogs" against special forces "

Interesting, they don't detect ballistic missile launchers, but they detect special forces?

(I always learn something new in this game : ) )

no they don't - but you need something that intercepts, or at least deals with them once encountered.
All you need to uncover Special Forces is a puny Recon unit. That's all. Problem is that in itself said unit doesn't stand a chance.
If you got something to "quickly" throw at them, you can carry the day. Same goes for countering Airborne. Fast moving and agile - yet very fragile against Gunships.

//G

I know what you mean, but I use drones for that. And ASFs or Strikes are always somewhere close to do "area control" job.

To sum up, I just think that Russian Gunship stats are close to the ideal state how this unit should be in a "standard" way. Simply it's effective, offensive, not only scouting or rebel tracking. It can do, what SF won't do, because of hostile SAMs. So I always have a dilema - do SF, or Helis.

Thanks for tips.