Eternal Guard (Shields)

Eternal Guard (Shields) is a Wood Elves melee infantry unit. The spear and shield of the Wood Elves, seldom bested in combat.

Description
Through the long Winter months, the forest of Athel Loren is at its lowest ebb, made dormant and vulnerable by the cycle of the seasons. The Treemen slumber, and even the normally vigorous Dryads are sluggish and slow. During this time, guardianship of the most sacred of places falls to the Eternal Guard, sons and daughters of Athel Loren's noble houses. Each Eternal Guard is a formidable foe in her own right, trained to a pinnacle of skill that other races cannot easily match. When assembled in numbers, they form a phalanx, their spears thrusting and cutting with a graceful yet disciplined efficiency. The Eternal Guard themselves refer to such a place as a "fortress of boughs". They face the enemy with feet planted firmly upon their chosen ground, shields braced against attacks and the line of spears rippling as their leaf-shaped blades dart forward to kill.

Strategy
For their cost, Eternal Guard are one of the best spear units in the game. They have high melee defence, shields, bonus vs. large, charge defence, high armor piercing, and good Leadership. They are the incredibly efficient from a cost perspective. They can hold a frontline pretty well but are hampered by their low model count. They are better at zoning out large units, receiving their charges, and keeping them tied up. Because of their decent AP damage, they will eventually kill most large units on their own, but you'd be advised to help them out a little when possible. If infantry are the bigger concern Dryads will handle that better provided they are not well armored.