Christopher da Gama's Expedition (co-op)
Christopher da Gama's Expedition (co-op) is an Age of Empires III scenario in Historical Battles, set in 1542. The player commands Portuguese and Portuguese against Portuguese; the scenario features Christopher da Gama.
Scenario setting & objectives
The required goals are Escape the Adal forces and reach the Ethiopians; Help the Ethiopians defeat the Adal Sultanate; Defend the Ethiopians. Optional goals include Drive the Adal forces from the Ethiopian villages to strengthen the Ethiopian army.
Mission approach
Coordinate the escape route and village clear with the other player, then bring both forces together to help defeat the Adal Sultanate and defend the Ethiopians. Clearing Adal from the villages strengthens the allied army, but the team must still preserve a reserve for the defense. Agree on who protects the retreating force before splitting to optional objectives.
Cooperative historical battle objectives
Christopher da Gama’s Expedition is a cooperative Historical Battle set in 1542. Players command Portuguese forces and the scenario features Christopher da Gama. The mission first asks the allied force to escape Adal forces and reach the Ethiopians, then help the Ethiopians defeat the Adal Sultanate and defend them. The optional objective is to drive Adal forces from Ethiopian villages, strengthening the Ethiopian army. The task order matters: keep the Portuguese group together while retreating to the allied position, then coordinate with the Ethiopian force to push the Sultanate back. Do not pursue every enemy during the escape if that would delay reaching the objective. Once the defense phase begins, protect the allied villages and use the optional clear-out only when the main position is stable. In co-op, communicate which player is covering the route and which force will meet the Ethiopians, so the starting army does not split into unsupported groups. Check the mission objectives after each phase because the scenario transitions from escape to assistance and then defense. This is a Historical Battles co-op scenario in Definitive Edition, not a standard Portuguese civilization match.
Escape, alliance and defense phases
The scenario changes objectives in three phases: escape the Adal forces and reach the Ethiopians, help the Ethiopians defeat the Adal Sultanate, then defend the allied position. Keep the Portuguese force together during the retreat, and avoid side fights that delay the rendezvous. Once the allied force is reached, combine the Portuguese army with Ethiopian units to defeat the Sultanate rather than attacking in separate groups. The optional village objective drives Adal forces away from Ethiopian villages and strengthens the Ethiopian army, so clear those threats when the main force can spare units. In co-op, agree who will cover the retreat route and who will hold the allied base. The mission’s objective panel should be checked after each phase because success conditions change as the story progresses. Preserve the starting force and named hero, and keep a reserve near the Ethiopians during the defense so raids do not break the allied line.
Cooperative defense
After reaching the Ethiopians, regroup and defend their villages while completing the defeat objective. The optional village clear-out improves allied strength, but the primary defense must remain secure.
Village objective
The optional objective to drive Adal forces from Ethiopian villages strengthens the allied army. Clear those positions after the escape phase and keep a reserve near the defended villages.
Escape Adal, reinforce the Ethiopians and hold the villages
The co-op scenario begins with escape: reach the Ethiopians while avoiding or defeating the Adal forces. The team then helps defeat the Adal Sultanate and must defend the Ethiopian position. The optional task of driving Adal forces out of Ethiopian villages strengthens the local army, making it useful before the defense phase if the route is safe. Coordinate one player to lead the escape while the other protects the rear, then regroup before attacking the Sultanate. Once the Ethiopians are secure, do not leave the villages undefended while pursuing remaining enemy troops. The mission shifts from mobility to holding ground, so build or position a reserve before completing the offensive stage. These phases reward communication: a player who continues forward while the other is still escaping can split the shared force and expose both sides.