Beware of Ashdod

[Nikelaos]

well if you have some earth access you may be able to strike out the sacreds with some ease mid game, destruction/iron bane to make that heavy armour fall in heaps and then strike em out with heavy hitters(predators lizards, barbarians, anything weilding a lance) boosted with strength of giants.

another thing to think about is raiding, their awesome troops cost a national debt so it makes sense early game, also unrest causing spells on their capital also work as previously stated