head to head
vs
Age of EmpiresvsR.U.S.E.
Age of Empires leans Optimization (Mind & Math); R.U.S.E. leans Reads (Mind & Math).
Age of EmpiresR.U.S.E.
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 4
Age of Empires leans harder on execution: APM and micro under pressure
Reads6 vs 6
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 5
R.U.S.E. leans harder on variance: Ruses hide intel; you act on incomplete information
Optimization8 vs 6
Age of Empires leans harder on optimization: Build orders and eco timing dominate
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.