The title says it all.
In my Aksum campaign, I don't find any use for my African elephants units. Outflank and charge, some would say, but there are always some archers somewhere in the rear, who will kill my elephants before they can do any damage. They are dying so fast that I don't see what to do with them. Even an half-depleted level 1 archers unit will make them disapear. They aren't even a good anti-cavalery unit : they also die like flies again any cavalery unit if they stay more than 1 or 2 seconds in melee.