Arma 3 Server Hosting

What You Can Run on an Arma 3 Server

An Arma 3 server runs whatever mission you give it, and that is the point. Bohemia's own multiplayer modes include Zeus, where one player directs the battle as game master, End Game, Seize and Defend, and Warlords, a team-against-team sector fight added in update 1.86. Community modes such as Wasteland and Domination grew up around the same tools, and any scenario built in the editor can be played in multiplayer.

Most units run a mix: a fixed mod pack, a rotation of co-op missions for training nights, and a big operation at the weekend. A dedicated server keeps all of that in one place with a fixed address. Some popular modes, such as Altis Life and Exile, have their own server pages with us because they need a database and extra setup.

Missions and the MPMissions Folder

Multiplayer missions are .pbo files in the server's MPMissions folder, named after the mission and the terrain, for example mission.Altis.pbo. server.cfg chooses which one loads through its mission class and template field, and the missionWhitelist setting can limit which missions players may vote for; left empty, it allows any.

• persistent = 1 keeps the mission running after the last player leaves, which suits persistent campaigns.
• voteThreshold sets the share of players needed for a vote to pass; a very high value effectively turns voting off.
• motd[] lists messages shown to players, repeated at the motdInterval.
• Since 2.22, -mpmissions= can point the server at a different missions folder.

Mods, Keys and Signatures

Mods load from the -mod= launch option, separated by semicolons, and players must run the same set. Mods in -serverMod= are loaded by the server but not broadcast to clients, which is the right place for admin tools and server-side scripts. Our Steam Workshop button handles the downloading and the @id folders; we recommend sticking to one Workshop installer rather than mixing methods.

Signatures stop players joining with modified files. Each mod ships a .bikey, which goes in the server's keys folder, and a .bisign next to each of its PBO files. With verifySignatures = 2, the recommended value, only files signed by a key in that folder are accepted. A vanilla server has just Bohemia's own key.

Official DLC and Creator DLC

Bohemia's DLC policy keeps groups together: players who do not own a DLC can still play with those who do. On official DLC content they cannot take the driver, gunner or commander seat of DLC vehicles, though passenger seats stay open. Creator DLC, made by outside studios, is not part of a normal installation; non-owners join by subscribing to free compatibility data on the Workshop, while the terrains and campaigns remain for owners. The server tool does not need to own any DLC.

Slots, Memory and the Headless Client

Bohemia's FAQ says Arma 3 has no technical player cap: hardware and bandwidth set the limit, and typical scenarios run with 2 to 64 players. Memory depends more on the mod pack and terrain than on headcount, so our plans step up a tier at a time: 8GB on 10 slots, 12GB on 20, 16GB on 40, 20GB on 60 and 24GB on 100.

AI is the other bottleneck. A Headless Client is a second Arma 3 client with no screen that connects to the server and takes over AI, freeing the server for players. You can run more than one.

1. Order a Headless Client server alongside your main server.
2. In the main server.cfg, add the Headless Client's IP to headlessClients[] and localClient[].
3. In the Headless Client's start file, set -connect= to your main server's IP, plus -password= if it has one.
4. Use a mission or AI script that supports Headless Clients; without that, it has nothing to do.

Admins, BattlEye and Security

Server admins log in during play with #login and the passwordAdmin from server.cfg. Players listed in admins[] can log in without a password, which is handy for a unit's officers. kickDuplicate = 1 removes a player who joins with the same ID as someone already on the server.

BattlEye is switched on with BattlEye = 1. Its RCon password and port go in beserver_x64.cfg, and the RCon port must sit outside the range the game already uses (the game port and the four after it). Bohemia's FAQ advises players to look for BattlEye servers, and the browser lets them filter for one.

Restarts, Messages and Updates

Long sessions run better with regular restarts. Set a restart task in the panel's scheduler, and install the Server Messages plugin from the Mod Manager to warn players before each one. A scheduled Workshop update keeps mods in step with what players download.

When Bohemia releases an update such as 2.22, run Steam Update on the server so players on the new build can join, and check your mods for updated versions. Back up first; a mod pack is far easier to roll back than to rebuild.

What to Compare Before You Rent an Arma 3 Server

Seven checks that matter more to a unit than the cheapest price.

1. Workshop toolsInstalling and updating a large mod pack by hand takes hours. Look for one-click Workshop installs and scheduled updates.
2. Memory for your mod packCompare the RAM included against your pack and terrain, not just the slot count.
3. CPU clock speedBusy Arma missions keep the server's processor working hard, so check the clock speed on offer, not just the slot price.
4. Headless Client optionIf you run AI-heavy missions, check you can add a Headless Client on the same network.
5. Creator DLC supportMake sure the host can install Creator DLC data on the server.
6. Ping to your unitTest from where your players are; a nearby location makes a difference to firefights.
7. Backups and termsLook for backups you can restore yourself, no setup fee and no minimum term.

Arma 3 Server Glossary

server.cfg

The main server configuration file: name, passwords, missions, BattlEye and voting.

basic.cfg

Network tuning settings for the server, loaded with -cfg=.

MPMissions

The folder holding the multiplayer mission .pbo files.

PBO

Arma's packed file format for missions and mod data.

-mod=

The launch option listing mods that players also need.

-serverMod=

The launch option for mods that run only on the server.

.bikey

A mod's public key, placed in the keys folder to allow its signed files.

Headless Client

A screenless client that runs AI to take load off the server.

Zeus

The game master mode where one player controls the scenario live.

Creator DLC

Paid expansions made by outside studios through Bohemia's Creator DLC programme.

BattlEye

The anti-cheat Arma 3 servers can require.

Arma 3 Server Help and Next Steps

Bohemia's own pages and our guides.

• Arma 3 dedicated server, Bohemia Interactive wikiPorts, installation and launch options.
• Creator DLC, arma3.comHow non-owners join Creator DLC servers.
• SPOTREP #00122, Arma 3 dev hubThe latest server update notes.
• Arma 3 Headless Client server, Gaming DeluxeA second server to run your AI.
• Gaming Deluxe control panelWhat the panel does and how to log in.
• Contact support24/7 help with mods, DLC and missions.