Dryads

Dryads is a Wood Elves melee infantry unit. There is no bargaining when the forest is damaged; vengeance will be exacted. In The Queen and the Crone, the Avelorn faction also has access to Dryads.

Description
Dryads are spiteful creatures with hearts akin to shards of ice. In the soul of a Dryad, there is neither room nor regard for compassion or mercy, merely an uncompromising dedication to Athel Loren that makes even the most heartfelt vows of Elf or Man seem trivial by comparison. To harm the forest is to invoke a deadly and unyielding vengeance that ends only when the transgressor's body has been ruined and broken. Only a fool deliberately offers insult to a Dryad, but alas, these spirit-maids are so utterly different to mortal creatures that offence is often taken whether it was intended or not. Few mortals make such a mistake twice, and then only if the individual in question is either very lucky or very swift.

Strategy
Dryads are a frontline alternative to the Eternal Guard in a Wood Elf army. These spirits are better against more lightly armored infantry. Between their physical resistance and armor, they can take a substantial amount of punishment and their immunity to psychology makes them very reliable. They will get knocked around by a large unit charge, but are inherently tough enough such that they won't suffer too badly. Their attacks are strong and innately magical, negating physical resistant, but deal little AP damage. Magical and fire damage are their big weaknesses and if hit with both they will quite literally go up in smoke.

They function largely the same in the High Elf faction, Avelorn's armies. They can replace Spearmen with the same bonuses and negatives.