The complete guide · 5 min read
Arma 3 Epoch Server Hosting: A Complete Guide
How an Epoch server fits together, how to choose a map and size, how to shape loot and the economy, and how to keep a survival server healthy for the long run.
By Matthew Griffin, Owner, Gaming DeluxePublished · Updated
In this guide
- What Epoch Adds to Arma 3
- How an Epoch Server Fits Together
- Choosing a Map
- Shaping Loot and the Economy
- Admin, BattlEye and Security
- Launch Parameters, Ports and Logs
- Restarts and Long-Term Health
- Growing an Epoch Community
- What to Compare Before You Rent an Arma 3 Epoch Server
- Arma 3 Epoch Server Glossary
- Arma 3 Epoch Server Help
What Epoch Adds to Arma 3
Arma 3 is Bohemia Interactive's military sandbox, released on 12 September 2013 and still sold on Steam. Its strength is scale: huge terrains, realistic weapons and vehicles, and a scripting engine that lets communities turn it into almost any kind of game.
Epoch, by the Epoch Mod Team, describes itself as a survival game mode for Arma 3. Players scavenge buildings for loot, build bases and trade at traders, in what the Epoch site calls an open world survival mod. The world persists between sessions, so a base built on Tuesday is still there on Friday, unless another group finds it first.
Because Epoch runs on a dedicated server with saved data, it suits communities that play over weeks and months. A hosted server keeps that world available around the clock.
How an Epoch Server Fits Together
The official server install pack makes the structure clear. An Epoch server has five parts that all need to agree with each other.
| Part | What it does | Where you change it |
|---|---|---|
| Arma 3 server | Runs the simulation | server.cfg and basic.cfg |
| @Epoch | Client mod everyone loads | -mod launch parameter |
| @EpochHive | Server-side logic | -serverMod and EpochServer.ini |
| Mission file | Map, loot, traders, menus | mpmissions, epoch.MapName |
| Redis database | Saves characters and bases | The DB folder and redis.conf |
Epoch's install guide also notes that only one Redis instance is needed per machine, and that all servers connecting to the same Redis share character data by default. If you run more than one Epoch server on the same machine, give each a unique InstanceID in EpochServer.ini.
Choosing a Map
The Epoch release includes mission files for more than 30 terrains. Bohemia's Arma 3 maps such as Altis, Stratis, Malden, Tanoa and Enoch are there, along with terrains from Arma 2 and the community, such as Chernarus, Takistan, Napf and Esseker.
- Altis: huge and varied, best with 30 or more players so it does not feel empty.
- Stratis or Malden: smaller islands where players meet each other quickly, good for 10 to 20 players.
- Tanoa: dense jungle and islands, great for hidden bases.
- Community maps: load the map's own mod on the server and tell players to load it too.
Shaping Loot and the Economy
Loot is what makes one Epoch server feel different from the next. The Epoch FAQ points to three files. In @epochhive, epochconfig.hpp has lootMultiplier, the quick way to make the whole server richer or poorer. In the mission, CfgBuildingLootPos.hpp controls EpochLootChance, GroundSpawnChance and how many ground containers appear. And CfgMainTable.h in the server settings sets lootMin and lootMax for each container and building type.
Traders run on prices. When you add a new item, also add it to CfgPricing.hpp and CfgItemSort.hpp in your mission file, or the item will not spawn and the server log will report that it has no price.
| Goal | Where to look |
|---|---|
| More or less loot overall | lootMultiplier in epochconfig.hpp |
| Loot in more buildings | EpochLootChance in CfgBuildingLootPos.hpp |
| More on the ground | GroundSpawnChance and Min/MaxGroundContainers |
| Better military crates | lootMin and lootMax in CfgMainTable.h |
| New item at traders | CfgPricing.hpp and CfgItemSort.hpp |
Admin, BattlEye and Security
Epoch takes security seriously. It disables some script commands by default, listed in CfgDisabledCommands.hpp in the mission. If a third-party admin tool or script does not work, check there before anything else.
- Rename example-BEServer.cfg to BEServer.cfg in the BattlEye folder and set a strong RConPassword.
- Set the BattlEye path in EpochServer.ini so the server mod can find it.
- Use the RCon password for your restart scheduler and admin tools.
- Add Epoch's own BattlEye filters and update them whenever you add scripts.
- Keep a backup of every working filter set.
Epoch also has player menus you can extend. The DynaMenu and the E-Pad both have example configs in the mission file, so you can add your own actions or tablet apps.
Launch Parameters, Ports and Logs
Epoch's install pack includes an example command line that shows how the parts are loaded. The client mod goes in -mod, the server mod in -serverMod, and the server reads its settings from server.cfg and basic.cfg in a profile folder.
| Parameter | Example from the Epoch pack | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| -mod | @Epoch | Mods every player also loads |
| -serverMod | @EpochHive | Mods only the server loads |
| -config | SC\server.cfg | Server name, password and missions |
| -cfg | SC\basic.cfg | Network and bandwidth settings |
| -port | 2302 | The game port players connect to |
| -profiles | SC | Folder for logs and profile files |
In our panel the Commandline Manager holds these values, so adding a mod means extending the -mod or -serverMod line. Epoch's install notes also recommend running its log rotator before each start, so old logs do not pile up, and a performance monitor such as ASM to watch the server frame rate.
Restarts and Long-Term Health
Epoch's install notes recommend restarting the Arma 3 server every 4 hours. A long-running Arma mission gathers objects and scripts over time, and a regular restart clears that while Redis keeps everyone's progress.
In our panel, create a Scheduled Restart task that repeats every 4 hours, and warn players in chat a few minutes before. Pick restart times that suit your peak hours, so the busiest evening session is not cut in half.
Growing an Epoch Community
Most Epoch servers start small. A 10 or 20 slot server is enough to test your map and loot settings with friends. When the population grows, move to 30 slots and 12GB, and then up again. Upgrades keep your files and your Redis data, so nobody loses their base.
A clear identity helps players choose your server: a fixed map, a known loot level, honest rules about base raiding and a predictable restart schedule. Put those details in the server name or welcome message, and keep them consistent.
What to Compare Before You Rent an Arma 3 Epoch Server
Epoch is more than one program, so check a host can handle all of it.
- Epoch actually set upThe client mod, server mod, mission and database should all be in place, not just an empty Arma 3 server.
- Full file accessLoot, traders and BattlEye filters live in files. You need SFTP or a file manager.
- RAM that growsA busy Epoch world needs more memory than a test server. Check it scales with slots.
- CPU clock speedArma's server frame rate depends on fast single cores.
- Scheduled restartsEpoch needs regular restarts; the panel should handle them for you.
- BackupsA broken mission file should never cost you a week of work.
Arma 3 Epoch Server Glossary
- @Epoch
- The Epoch client mod that players and the server load.
- @EpochHive
- The server-only Epoch mod, loaded with -serverMod.
- Redis
- The database Epoch uses to save characters, bases and other persistent data.
- Mission file
- The epoch.MapName file that sets up Epoch for one terrain.
- lootMultiplier
- A setting in epochconfig.hpp that scales loot across the server.
- BattlEye
- Arma 3's anti-cheat, configured with filters and an RCon password.
- InstanceID
- A unique name in EpochServer.ini that separates servers sharing one database.
- E-Pad
- Epoch's in-game tablet, which admins can extend with their own apps.
Arma 3 Epoch Server Help
Official Epoch resources and our own help pages.
- Epoch on GitHubServer files, releases, README and FAQ.
- Epoch releasesThe latest stable server files.
- Epoch Mod website and forums
- Arma 3 Server Setup guideServer.cfg, Workshop mods and BattlEye on any Arma 3 server.
- Gaming Deluxe control panelHow the panel works and how to log in.
- Contact support24/7 help with Epoch and Arma 3.
How this guide was made: researched from the Epoch Mod Team's GitHub repository (README, FAQ, install guide and releases) and the Arma 3 Steam store page, drafted with AI assistance, checked against our live order form for every plan, price and location, and reviewed by Matthew Griffin before publishing. Something out of date? Tell us.
Sources, checked October 22, 2026:
- Arma 3 on Steam (developer, publisher, release date, platforms)
- Epoch Mod website (current version, open world survival, looting, base building)
- Epoch Mod Team, Epoch repository and README (FAQ, mission fallback, licence)
- Epoch Mod Team, releases (1.3.3.1 build 1549, 1 September 2020, Arma 3 v1.98+)
- Epoch Mod Team, Server_Install_Pack INSTALL.txt (Redis, EpochServer.ini, BEServer.cfg, 4 hour restarts)
- Epoch Mod Team, mission files in the install pack
- Gaming Deluxe order form, Arma 3 - Epoch
- Gaming Deluxe knowledge base: automatic restarts and Steam Workshop mods
