Gryphon's have many different qualities that enable them to bring serious power onto the battlefield.
The greatest quality is their mobility. While men, elves, and orcs are restricted to ground warfare, the gryphon's have the ability to fly over these assets. This allows gryphon's to strike at targets directly. For these tactics to be countered, the enemy would be forced to take up defensive positions or by deploying his troops everywhere.
Gryphon's are perfect for air assaults. Ten could easily destroy supply convoys heading for the front, and pick up useful weapons in the meantime. If you have Gryphon mages, you have even greater power. A single gryphon mage would make lance of gryphon's into village killers. A single pass could ignite human thatched roof cottages and cause massive damage. Dragons are just as capable, but gryphon's have other qualities which makes them a better choice.
- Gryphon's have smaller profiles than dragons, which gives enemy forces less warning time. By the time a remote village sees a gryphon, it is already too late.
- Gryphon's are able to land and enter buildings, which makes them able to search for intelligence sources.
- Gryphon's are capable of carrying a large array of weapons which can disable sensitive targets. Dragons tend to have the "one flame fits all" attitude.
- Gryphon's are also capable of hiding in woodland areas. This task is difficult for some of the smaller dragons, let alone a huge one.
Gryphon's are far from invincible. Elves and Dragons are very formidable opponents opposite of gryphon's. Elves are capable of using arrows to down them before gryphon's reach an objective, and are very difficult for gryphon's to counter. Dragons are also incredibly difficult to take down single handed. It isn't impossible, just extremely difficult (there are stories of several gryphon's ripping a young dragon out of the sky simply because it got to close to a nest of young gryphon's).
Other threats exist to Gryphon's. Winged Pegasi with warriors armed with arrows are very dangerous, as are Pegasi on their own. Battles between the two are often fierce.
While gryphon's are able to fulfill offensive roles, they are able to fulfill many logistical roles as well. They are capable of hauling weapons and supplies to remote locations to support friendly troops. They are also good for reconnaissance missions and field medics.
A more recent use is that of being bombers. Gryphon's are capable of dropping explosives onto troop positions, usually small things similar to Molotov cocktails, but it is possible that they might use exported gunpowder for the role, if any is available.
Gryphon's are capable of fulfilling long and short range logistical and offensive roles. Their utilitarian abilities combined with speed and stealth are great assets and make them enemies worth fearing.
