In most armies of the world, elephants probably were used just for intimidation. But in India, they were one of the four main fources found in every army for 5,000 years (4 forces were - elephant (gaja), chariot (ratha), cavalry (turanga) and infantry (pada).
A variety of tactics were used to make them effective. Often daggers were attacked to their tusks, sometimes tipped with poison, and some were even trained to wield swords in their trunks.
One South Indian king even trained his elephants to swing massive iron balls on chains with their trunks. Then he armored them, and chained them together. So this wall of armored elephants would advance together, all whirling huge spiked flails in front of them, mowing down infantry. On their backs would also be armored soldiers hailing down arrows, or using long lances to spear the few survivors.
Even their ability to go beserk was used by Indian kings. They would sometimes be covered in spiked armor from head to foot to prevent boarders, intoxicated with wine, pricked with swords to infuriate them, and let loose to rampage through enemy ranks.
[This message has been edited by Gurkhali (edited 01-09-2005 @ 01:52 PM).]