[Xietor]

elephants grouped with hyperists, are a powerful against smaller units. They are certainly more powerful than a guardian unit from ulm(who also has a crappy mr), and in certain situations better than the KOA.

You are correct they are vulnerable to smite, mind blasts, astral magic, but they can trample some very powerful units as well. Units that otherwise are very hard to kill(double blessed vans). They fight to the bitter end when grouped with hyperists and they do get lots of afflictions, but arcos. can heal those.