head to head
vs
DEFCONvsStar Wars: Empire at War
DEFCON leans Optimization (Mind & Math); Star Wars: Empire at War leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
DEFCONStar Wars: Empire at War
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 3
Star Wars: Empire at War leans harder on execution: Some battle micro, but APM never dominates outcomes
Reads6 vs 5
DEFCON leans harder on reads: Timing betrayals and first strikes against humans is the heart
Variance3 vs 2
DEFCON leans harder on variance: Hidden submarine and fleet positions reward scouting
Optimization7 vs 8
Star Wars: Empire at War leans harder on optimization: Economy, tech order and counter-unit composition decide campaigns
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.