head to head
vs
Civilization VvsSid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Civilization V leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Civilization VSid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads2 vs 2
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance5 vs 4
Civilization V leans harder on variance: Random starts, barbarian spawns, and goody huts create hidden unknowns
Optimization9 vs 10
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri leans harder on optimization: Tech tree, social engineering, and base placement are essentially solvable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.