How do you fight the Niefel giants?

[MaxWilson]

Concur that helhirdings isn't the way to go against Neifel, even if they're blessed, except maybe unless you have an F9 bless. The cold aura is the killer, so go for Iron Bane (Niefel Giants drop to Prot 5) + skelly spam augmented by serf warriors (set to Guard Commander). Use Destruction if you can't get Iron Bane. Other options, depending upon your gem income and/or research, are Drain Life via the Standard, Ghosts or other summoned creatures with a Fear aura, Rods of the Phoenix (I think--is that an F2 item? if so, Svartalfs can forge them w/ Skull of Fire), Longdead Horsemen + Clockwork horrors (plus Iron Bane of course), and thugged-out Hangadrottir w/ traded-for rings of Frost. I haven't tried all of these, because so far in my experience Iron Bane + cheap troops + skelly spam has been sufficient.

-Max