head to head
vs
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2vsTotal Annihilation
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 leans Reads (Grand Arena); Total Annihilation leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2Total Annihilation
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 5
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 leans harder on execution: Superweapon timing and unit grouping require practiced multitasking
Reads7 vs 6
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 leans harder on reads: Opponent faction and rush timing must be scouted and predicted
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 9
Total Annihilation leans harder on optimization: Metal extractor priority and factory queuing are deeply optimizable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.