head to head
vs
Empire: Total WarvsHero's Hour
Empire: Total War leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Hero's Hour leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Empire: Total WarHero's Hour
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads3 vs 3
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 4
Hero's Hour leans harder on variance: Randomized maps, resources and battle outcomes
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.