The Battle of the Three Kings (co-op)
The Battle of the Three Kings (co-op) is a cooperative Historical Battle in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, set in 1578. Two players share control of Moroccans against Portuguese. This mode uses a team-specific objective sequence based on The Battle of the Three Kings.
Mission background
The required goals are Defend Sultan al-Malik's camp. You will lose if his Town Center is destroyed. (Before the death of al-Malik); Destroy King Sebastian's camp. (After the death of al-Malik); Defend your camp. You will lose if your Town Center is destroyed. (After the death of al-Malik); Convince four of the tribes to join the fight. Optional goals include Destroy Outposts to recapture Moroccan loot; Capture coastal towns to cut off the Portuguese supplies; Capture Sultan Muhammed II.
Objectives & rules
Before al-Malik dies, coordinate protection of his camp and Town Center; after the transition, defend your own Town Center while pressuring Sebastian and securing tribal support. Assign one player to the vulnerable defense and keep the other’s assault force within reinforcement range. Rebalance those roles when the objective phase changes.
Changing objectives and cooperative defense
The co-op Battle of the Three Kings takes place in 1578 and has two players controlling Moroccans against Portuguese forces. Its objective changes after Sultan al-Malik dies. Before his death, the team must defend his camp; losing his Town Center means defeat. After the transition, players must destroy King Sebastian’s camp, defend their own Town Centers and convince four tribes to join the fight. The shifting objectives make it important to protect the Sultan’s position before committing to an offensive. Optional tasks include destroying Outposts to recover Moroccan loot, capturing coastal towns to disrupt Portuguese supplies and capturing Sultan Muhammed II. These tasks can support the team but should not leave the Town Centers undefended. Divide responsibilities between players: one can secure a threatened approach while the other completes a tribe objective or attacks an exposed Portuguese position. Keep a reserve near the base because the required defense continues after the story transition. The scenario uses authored forces and historical objectives, not ordinary Moroccan supremacy rules. Scout each target and coordinate a shared push rather than attacking separate camps with inadequate forces. Complete the four tribe objectives while preserving enough army to defend and then destroy the target camp. Follow the mission briefing for exact trigger timing and difficulty behavior.
Before and after the Sultan’s death
The mission’s phase change is central to the co-op plan. Before Sultan al-Malik dies, his camp and Town Center must survive; both players should keep enough forces near that position to answer Portuguese attacks. After his death, the team has a new base-defense requirement and must destroy King Sebastian’s camp while persuading four tribes to join. Do not send both players away to complete optional tasks during the first phase. Once the required tribe objective is underway, keep a reserve near the Town Centers and coordinate the offensive so both players can support the target. Optional coastal towns can disrupt supplies and capturing Sultan Muhammed II adds another objective, but the main defense remains mandatory.
Optional objectives and coordination
The four tribes are a required objective after the scenario changes phase; the coastal towns, loot Outposts and Sultan Muhammed II are optional. Partners can divide optional tasks only after the Sultan’s camp is stable and each Town Center is covered. Coordinate which player is defending and which is advancing to avoid losing the mission during a split force.
Defensive reserve
Keep a reserve near the Town Centers through both phases. The first camp belongs to Sultan al-Malik; after the transition, each player must defend their own camp while the team handles the Portuguese. A split offensive without a home defense risks an immediate loss.
Balancing defense and tribe objectives
The four tribes are part of the required victory sequence, while the captured coastal towns and recovered loot are optional. Use one player to keep the Moroccan camp stable as the other moves toward a tribe or coastal objective, then regroup for the attack on King Sebastian’s camp. Protect both Town Centers after Sultan al-Malik’s death.
Preventing a split-force defeat
Before the Sultan’s death, keep one player’s force near his camp and use the other to gather resources or complete safe objectives. After the death, both Town Centers become defeat conditions, so coordinate the defense before sending units toward the Portuguese camp. Tribe persuasion is required; optional coastal objectives can wait.
Split co-op duties before al-Malik’s death
The co-op mission has two distinct phases around Sultan al-Malik’s death. Before he dies, defend his camp and keep its Town Center standing. Afterward, destroy King Sebastian’s camp, defend your own Town Center and convince four tribes to join the fight. Assign one player to protect the Town Center while the other secures tribes or captures the coastal towns that cut Portuguese supplies. Outposts can be destroyed to recover Moroccan loot, and capturing Sultan Muhammed II is optional. Do not send both players away from the base during the second defense phase. The co-op format helps divide the multiple objectives, but the shared loss condition still makes Town Center protection essential. Regroup for the Portuguese camp only after the tribes and immediate defense are stable.