head to head
vs
Mount & Blade: WarbandvsTotal War: Shogun 2
Mount & Blade: Warband leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Total War: Shogun 2 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Mount & Blade: WarbandTotal War: Shogun 2
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 6
Total War: Shogun 2 leans harder on execution: Samurai unit micro, zen arts timing, and castle sieges reward sharp play
Reads2 vs 3
Total War: Shogun 2 leans harder on reads: AI daimyo follow scripted clan doctrines; human opponents require reads
Variance3 vs 4
Total War: Shogun 2 leans harder on variance: Metsuke agent skill rolls and random farm yields add moderate unknowns
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.