head to head
vs
Endless LegendvsHearts of Iron II
Endless Legend leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Hearts of Iron II leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Endless LegendHearts of Iron II
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads3 vs 3
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 3
Endless Legend leans harder on variance: quest and tech rolls
Optimization8 vs 9
Hearts of Iron II leans harder on optimization: Production, research and front planning are deeply solvable systems
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.