LA Ermor - myth, legend, or overrated tripe?

[Aleph]

In my most recent game, 4 Blade Winders + 10 generic priests has led me to quite a lot of battles vs. LA Ermor where I lose 0-5 regular troops and they lose 500+... and I'm not particularly clever, I'm sure many can do much better. The chaff instantly explode when exposed to any AoE attacks, they really need the better summons to help them survive. Again, I find MA Ermor more dangerous because they can have "priest killer" armies of regular troops

Also - in SP, where they are fairly annoying due to the computer's refusal for other nations to use appropriate counters, LA Ermor pretty much dies the instant they are exposed to Astral Corruption. No blood magic, no gold recruitable troops, it takes a mage to make a mage... a couple turns later all they have is dominion freespawn and bishops, and every one you take is one that can't be replaced.