elephants had not much use except psychological they could frighten the wits out of the enemy very tempremental animals they often did not differentiate between foe and friend. as it happened in panipet they also ate a lot( you could feed perhaps 20 horses with that fodder) storming forts is something they were used for i guess but how effectively is anybody's guess the most effective scene in auvaiyar where the entire fort crumbles comes to my memory. but i think most of the forts that fell were under a siege and the ensuing starvation.
Elephants was used a lot in the subcontinent and to lesser extent in other places, as to their effectiveness, that depends on the situation and the general commanding. Battles have been won and also lost b'cpz of the pachyderms.
Unless we want to foray into military history, we need not worry the issue much
I am not saying they out of context, but just define the context, namma thalaiver yanaipaagan kadahi ya, illati kalingathu bharani style. I thought the discussion was turning towards battle strategies using elephantine brigades, athukkuthan I wanted to bring in martial history, that depends upon many factors including elephants.