Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
The Historical Battles are a collection of unrelated scenarios in Age of Empires III akin to Age of Empires II's "Battle of the Conquerors" and "Battles of the Forgotten". Each of them takes place at a specific time and cover a specific event. Historical battle list
"Algiers" (1516)
"In the 16th century privateering the Mediterranean flourished as a result of the staunch rivalry between the Ottoman Empire and the European Christian states. Famous Barbary corsairs like Hayreddin Barbarossa an his brothers gained infamy because of their great sucess while privateering. In 1516 the brothers managed to take the city of Algiers, deposing its former ruler, and creating their own Barbary pirate state. However, the Spanish were not going to let a pirate state exist so close to their homeland and sent a large army to deal with Barbary threat and acquire the city of Algiers."
The player takes control of the Barbary pirates and battle against the Spanish.
"Christopher Da Gama's Expedition" (1542)
The player takes control of the Portuguese, with help in the form of Queen Sabia's Ethiopians, battling against the Somalians.
"Chuvash Cape" (1582)
"Foraying dauntlessly into the bitter cold, the Cossack Yermak led an expedition of several hundred men to aid the people of Perm, who were being brutally raided by their Tatar neighbors. The journey was perilous and the intrepid Cossacks soon found themselves mercilessly harassed as they navigated down the Tura river, could an army of hundreds prevail against a ruthless horde fives times its size? Could the gunpowder weaponry put an end to the 2,000 year dominance of nomadic cavalry armies in the field?"
The player takes control of the Russians and fight against the Tatars.
"Raid on the Caribbean" (1586)
"When Queen Elizabeth I formed an alliance with the Dutch rebels fighting against Spanish rule, the Spanish King Philip II declared war. In response, the Queen sent Sir Francis Drake to the Caribbean to lead an attack on the Spanish colonies."
The player takes control of the British and fight against the Spanish.
"Fort Duquesne" (1754)
"At the beginning of the French and Indian War, the French had set their sights on an important British border fort near present-day Pittsburgh. Their goal was to seize it. Time was short, however, as the shrewd British commander George Washington would likely send his forces to retake the site once he heard of its fall."
The player takes control of the French, with possible help in the form of the Haudenosaunee surrounding villages, fighting against the British.
"Battle of New Orleans" (1815)
"The War of 1812 was devastating for the United States, but when the British appeared near New Orleans, hope of a major victory was kindled. As news of the British invasion spread, defenders flocked to the city. Local militia, Native Americans, and even pirates answered the call to arms."
The player takes control of the United States and battle against the British.
"The Burning of U.S.S. Philadelphia" (1804)
"Determined to put an end to predatory raids on merchant vessels, the United States has declared war on the Barbary pirates in North Africa. An auspicious start to the conflict quickly turned into disaster and disgrace when the frigate USS Philadelphia was captured intact by Barbary pirates. However, one brave young American lieutenant was unwilling to let the vessel remain in enemy hands. Assembling a group of volunteers, Stephen Decatur set sail to destroy the frigate and salvage the US Navy’s reputation."
The player takes control of the United States and battle against the Barbary Pirates. It requires the United States DLC.
"Grito de Dolores"note (1810)
"As the Bourbon Reforms granted the Spanish elite more power and diminished that of the church, resentment grew among the rural Mexican population. When news of Napoleon Bonaparte’s conquest of Spain reached the Americas, the words of a Catholic priest ignited the sparks of revolution."
The player takes control of the Mexicans, with another Mexican ally, battling against the Spanish armies. It requires the Mexico DLC.
"Battle of Queenston Heights" (1812)
"At the beginning of the War of 1812, the Americans launched an invasion across the Niagara River into British Canada. To halt this offensive and defend Canada, the British called upon the militias of York and Lincoln as well as their Mohawk, Lenape, and Haudenosaunee allies."
The player takes control of the Canadians, with British and Haudenosaunee allies, battling against the United States. It requires both the Mexico and United States DLC.
"The Battle of the Three Kings" (1578)
"Sebastian of Portugal, a young and jealous king, has launched an invasion into Morocco under the pretense of a crusade. The Saadis, however, are not impressed and gather their army to meet the invaders. The Iberians may have superior technology, mercenaries, and the help of a local puppet sultan, but the sultan’s forces are fighting to protect their homes."
The player takes control of the Moroccans, fighting with another Moroccan ally, against another Moroccan faction and a Portuguese ally of said faction. It requires the The African Royals DLC.
"Fall of the Hausa" (1804)
"Exiled from the Hausa city-state of Gobir for criticizing the greed and immorality of the city’s elites, the scholar, writer, and military leader Usman dan Fodio united Fulani nomads, Hausa peasants, and escaped slaves to spark a revolution on West Africa’s Sahel."
The player takes control of the Hausa, and battle against other Hausa factions. It requires the The African Royals DLC.
"The Era of the Princes" (1855)
"For over a century, Ethiopia struggled as local warlords vied for power in the declining old empire. There seemed to be no way out of the conflict until a man named Kassa Hailu stepped in. Kassa, a veteran of the Ethiopian-Egyptian wars, could no longer bear to watch as his country was torn asunder. He would fight the warlords and gift the loot to the impoverished Ethiopian peasants."
The player takes control of the Ethiopians, and fight against another Ethiopian faction. It requires the The African Royals DLC.
These scenarios show examples of:
- Back from the Brink:
- When "Christopher Da Gama's Expedition" begins, the Portuguese are being chased by the Somalians and are granted asylum in an Ethiopian base. The mission then is about turning the odds by conquering the nearby villages and destroying the Somali base.
- In "Algiers", "Fort Duquesne", after successfully defending your base, you're required to counterattack and destroy your enemies.
- Baseless Mission:
- "Christopher Da Gama's Expedition" has you controlling a bunch of Portuguese units that seek to avenge Christopher Da Gama. You cannot build a base and have to free prisoners from the Somalians.
- "Chuvash Cape" begins with the Russian army avoiding Tatar patrols as they make their way onto their destination.
- "Raid on the Caribbean" doesn't allow you to build a base. Rather, you must use your caravels to fish for food and coin, and then use your shipments in order to exchange your coin for a lesser amount of either food or gold, and your Galleys and pirate ships for naval combat. As for the units, you have to either train them on the Galleons or the Barracks you get access to when you're raiding the enemy Spanish villages.
- "The Burning of U.S.S. Philadelphia" forces you to send units from your home base in order to fend off the pirate raids as the U.S.S. Philadelphia is loaded with explosives.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- In "Algiers", an Ottoman force consisting of 25 Janissaries, 5 Falconets, 2 Galleons and 3 Galleys will appear after you gathered 15000 XP.
- But Thou Must!: In "Algiers", the player must destroy the Spanish blockade in order to get access to the Home City cards. This objective is also imperative for the Ottoman help.
- Civil Warcraft:
- The player's faction, allies and enemies in "The Battle of the Three Kings" belong all (with one exception) to the Moroccans.
- Likewise, Usman dan Fodio's Hausa battle against other Hausa factions in "Fall of the Hausa".
- Kassa Hailu's Ethiopians battle against other Ethiopian Warlords in "The Era of the Princes".
- Early-Bird Cameo:
- "Christopher Da Gama's Expedition" features the Ethiopians as an allied faction before the Ethiopians themselves become playable in the The African Royals DLC.
- "Battle of New Orleans" features a playable United States faction before the United States themselves join the fray as a playable civilization.
- Heads I Win, Tails You Lose: The beginning of "Christopher Da Gama's Expedition" requires you to escape from the Somali right after entering the level. Lose all your soldiers and it's Game Over. Reach to the end of the city and Queen Sabla chastises you for abandoning Christopher Da Gama.
- Hold the Line:
- "Algiers" requires you to hold off the attacks on the Barbary fort until naval help arrives and you can obliterate the enemy bases.
- "Fort Duquesne" requires you to hold off the English raiding parties for 15 minutes.
- "Battle of New Orleans" not only requires you to fend off the English raiders, but once you're done, you must destroy the English base.
- "The Burning of U.S.S. Philadelphia" requires you to fend off Barbary pirates with whatever you can find while the ship is being loaded with explosives.
- No Historical Figures Were Harmed: "Battle of New Orleans" features a nameless American general who is a clear dead-ringer for Andrew Jackson.
- Posthumous Character: By the time "Christopher Da Gama's Expedition" begins, the titular Christopher Da Gama has been killed by the Somalians.
- Protection Mission: "Algiers" requires you to not lose your Town Center.
