What an AoE2 replay can tell you

Commands become a timeline

The parser reads the actions in the recording. The analyzer places them in order and connects actions with game data, including units, buildings, and technologies. That produces the timeline you can inspect on a replay page.

Map positions make some decisions easier to understand. A forward building, a move command, and a later fight can be read in sequence instead of as isolated totals.

Some metrics are reconstructions

The file does not include state snapshots. A metric such as Town Center idle time therefore comes from a deterministic queue simulation based on observed commands and game data. Treat it as a lower bound, not a stopwatch reading of the original match.

The same caution applies whenever an action depends on state the command stream cannot fully recover. The timeline is strongest when it points to a specific recorded command.

Use the coach as a reading aid

Ask about a decision you can locate in the replay: an age transition, production gap, or fight. The coach can refer to the parsed match and cite the site's game data pages. Check the timeline and source link when advice sounds surprising.