head to head
vs
Empire: Total WarvsMedieval: Total War
Empire: Total War leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Medieval: Total War leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Empire: Total WarMedieval: Total War
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 3
Medieval: Total War leans harder on execution: Real-time battle control rewards quick unit handling
Reads3 vs 2
Empire: Total War leans harder on reads: Multiplayer line-battle feints exist
Variance3 vs 3
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
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.