The official objectives
| Goal | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Completion | Finish the excavations |
| Two-star goal | Lose fewer than 3 trucks before finishing |
| Three-star goal | Lose no trucks before finishing |
| Bonus medal | Recover the remains |
Sources: TF3 manual · Campaign
Plan around the active task
- Read the current expedition objective and its named location.
- Inspect the route that the assigned trucks will actually follow.
- Save before changing that route or committing to a task branch.
- Watch the first truck’s trip and read any mission-specific warning immediately.
- Check the lost-truck counter as well as excavation progress.
Evidence note
Preparation checklist rather than a three-star walkthrough. The mission’s own warnings are the reference for truck losses and the bonus sequence.
Do not use TF2 gemstone instructions
Digging up gemstones is a different TF2 bonus task. Its red-circle location advice does not establish where to excavate in this TF3 mission.
Sources: TF2 players · Digging up gemstones
Where this answer comes from
Checked 2026-10-22. Each claim links to the published material it comes from. Inspection sequences are Routebook’s editorial suggestions.
- TF3 manual · Campaign Official wiki
- TF2 players · Digging up gemstones Player reports · since 2019