How do I use elephants properly?

[runes]

the best thing about elephants and chariots is their ability to break up formations.

playing as the romans right now, formation is EVERYTHING to me. as long as i have a nice, tight formation, i am near unstoppable.

however, im going up against Briton and Pontus right now, and their heavy chariots to wonders to break up my well ordered lines. However, the AI (shitty as it is) lacks the ability to co-operate. My forces, broken up from the chariot charge, quickly reassemble and ususally rout the chariot after a while.

If the AI was smart, it would know to rush (axemen, chosen, other cavalry) into my broken up ranks, exploting the chaos and negating bonuses that well-formed units get.

but they dont. so i win.

same goes for elephants. Use them to split up an enemy force, mess up it's ranks, and then send in infantry to mop up

[Craterus]

Or send elephants in, and send a cavalry immediately after to kill the guys that think it's funny to get back up after an elephant has trampled them.

[avesta]

KEEP THEM MOVING. They are un-stoppable if you don't let them sit in one position and attack. Attack one unit, move on quickly, attack another unit. Keep them on the move and avoid fire arrows. Those are the two most important factors.