[Lazy_Perfectionist]

Summer Lions are rather expensive at six gems apiece, compared to Winter Wolves at 2 apiece. And I haven't played a nation favored with fire magic of any worthwhile amount, yet. So I can't say they are any good, but can throw out some ideas. I'm not a fan of the cost, though.

While not exactly correct, you can consider them the heavy cavalry of summons (though not the elites). They do have low length weapons (bite, claw), but they do have two attacks where Winter Wolves have only the one. The combination of 44 hitpoints and ethereal means that they could, in theory, intercept knights without immediately folding. They lack the power to penetrate heavy armor, though if they can survive a few turns, they'll get the chance to penetrate thanks to fatigue - while they have 0 encumberance, Knights have quite a bit more. Though, a 19 and 17 damage attack are by no means bad if they find a target soft enough.

They've got a size 4, which is a bit of trouble, though mitigated by their ethereal nature, but does allow them to intercept larger forces than size 3 units.

Its worth giving them a try, but it would be an expensive waste to relegate them to cleanup duty. You'd almost certainly want to buff them, as well, though size four makes them a bit difficult to buff with area one spells. Or combo them with spells that are less likely to affect ethereal units.

I'll have to look into what nations do reliably get these, but probably wont, since I'm not a fan of nations with a drop of blood magic.