head to head
vs
Age of EmpiresvsRise of Nations
Age of Empires leans Optimization (Mind & Math); Rise of Nations leans Optimization (Mind & Math).
Age of EmpiresRise of Nations
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 5
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads6 vs 7
Rise of Nations leans harder on reads: Opponent nation pick and age-rush timing must be predicted
Variance4 vs 3
Age of Empires leans harder on variance: Fog of war and map resources
Optimization8 vs 8
Even - both lean on optimization about the same.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.