The complete guide · 6 min read
Insurgency: Sandstorm Server Hosting Explained: A Complete Guide
This guide walks through running an Insurgency: Sandstorm community server in 2026: choosing between co-op and Versus, sizing the plan, writing scenarios and rotations, setting up admins and RCON, adding mod.io content and keeping the server healthy after updates. It is written for the clan admin or community lead who looks after the server.
By Matthew Griffin, Owner, Gaming DeluxePublished · Updated
In this guide
- Why Run Your Own Sandstorm Community Server
- Insurgency: Sandstorm in 2026
- Co-op or Versus: Picking Modes and Slots
- Scenarios, Map Rotation and Voting
- Admins, RCON and Keeping Order
- mod.io Maps, Mutators and Rulesets
- Updates, Restarts and Server Health
- What to Compare Before You Rent a Sandstorm Server
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Server Glossary
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Server Help and Next Steps
Why Run Your Own Sandstorm Community Server
Official matchmaking is quick, but it decides the map, the mode and the rules for you. A community server hands those decisions back. A co-op group can play Checkpoint on the maps it enjoys with the bot settings it likes. A clan can hold training nights with a password on the server. A milsim community can run hardcore rules and a fixed rotation every weekend, and regulars always know where to find each other.
Running the server on rented hardware keeps it online when nobody from the group is around, gives it a fixed address for the server browser and favourites, and takes the load off anyone's home connection. Our panel then wraps the official dedicated server in simple fields, so you set the essentials without memorising launch syntax.
Insurgency: Sandstorm in 2026
Sandstorm arrived on Steam on 12 December 2018, reached PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 29 September 2021, and received native PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions on 30 January 2024. On PC it is now also sold through the Microsoft Store and the Epic Games Store. New World Interactive continues to release numbered operations, each with maps, weapons and fixes.
- Overrun (1.18), 22 April 2025: the Forest map.
- Shell Shock (1.19), 21 October 2025: followed by a hotfix in November.
- Clear Sight (1.20), 24 February 2026: mod editor improvements and direct mod.io uploads.
- Breachpoint (1.21), 28 May 2026: the Hold map and a fix for mods on Linux community servers.
- Operation: Echoes (1.22), 14 October 2026: Power Plant and Hideout overhauls and a fix for high CPU use on community servers.
Limited-time game modes and XP weekends appear between operations. The official FAQ says there are no plans to make those modes permanent, so build your rotation around the standard modes.
Co-op or Versus: Picking Modes and Slots
The first decision is what your server is for, because it sets both the slot count and the scenario list.
| Server type | Modes | Players | Our plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op against AI | Checkpoint, Hardcore Checkpoint, Outpost, Survival | Built for 8 players | 10 Slots |
| Clan scrims | Firefight with the CompetitiveFirefight ruleset | 5v5 | 10 Slots |
| Mid-size Versus | Push, Domination, Firefight, Ambush, Team Deathmatch | Up to 10v10 | 20 Slots |
| Full Versus | Push, Frontline, Skirmish, Domination | Up to 14v14 | 28 Slots |
On a co-op server the player limit counts human players only. Friendly bots and enemy numbers are controlled in Game.ini; the official guide lists defaults of 4 friendly bots and between 6 and 12 enemies, with AI difficulty at 0.5. Memory grows with the plan too: 5GB on 10 slots, 8GB on 20 and 12GB on 28, which leaves room for mod.io maps on the bigger servers.
Scenarios, Map Rotation and Voting
Sandstorm loads scenarios rather than plain maps. A scenario combines a map, a mode and, where it matters, a side, as in Scenario_Hideout_Push_Security or Scenario_Gap_Outpost. The official admin guide lists maps from Bab and Crossing to Tideway, Trainyard and Forest, and Hold joined them in update 1.21.
- Stop the server and open Start.bat in the config editor.
- Set the starting Map and Scenario fields.
- Open MapCycle.txt and list the scenarios you want, one per line.
- In Game.ini, set bUseMapCycle=True for a fixed rotation or bVoting=True for player votes, not both.
- Start the server and check the log for a clean load.
Admins, RCON and Keeping Order
Sandstorm has two admin routes. In game, players whose SteamID64 is listed in Admins.txt can open the admin menu (Keypad Minus by default). From outside the game, RCON gives you a console that works even when you are not playing.
| RCON command | What it does |
|---|---|
| listplayers | Shows who is connected, with IDs |
| kick / ban / permban | Removes a player, for a time or for good |
| unban / listbans | Lifts or lists bans |
| say | Posts a message in chat |
| travelscenario | Switches straight to another scenario |
| restartround | Restarts the round, optionally swapping teams |
On our servers you read the RCON password under Server Details and log in to the Web Console with it, so there is nothing to install. Players also have vote-kick, which handles most trouble on a busy public server before an admin is needed.
mod.io Maps, Mutators and Rulesets
Mods for Sandstorm are hosted on mod.io. The current method registers the server as its own mod.io user with a security code sent by email, after which the server downloads whatever that account is subscribed to. Our panel turns this into a button and a field in Start.bat.
- Maps: add them to MapCycle.txt for the rotation, or put one in the Mod.io Travel Mod field to start on it.
- Mutator mods: add the name the mod page gives you to the Mutators line in Start.bat.
- Built-in mutators: load several at once, separated by commas, such as Hardcore or Frenzy.
- Rulesets: packaged configurations like OfficialRules, CompetitiveFirefight or CheckpointFrenzy.
According to the official guide, the OfficialRules ruleset also lists the server under the official rules filter in the browser, which helps players who want the standard game find you. For XP and stats on top, the server needs a Steam GSLT, a GameStats token and no password.
Updates, Restarts and Server Health
When an operation lands, players update straight away and an old server stops accepting them. Run Steam Update in the panel, or schedule automatic updates so the server catches new versions on its own. Read the mod pages afterwards, because outdated mods are the usual reason a server refuses to start after a patch.
Regular restarts keep any long-running server healthy, and Scheduled Tasks can handle them overnight. If performance drops, the Log Viewer is the first stop; update 1.22 also fixed a cause of high CPU use on community servers, so staying current is part of keeping rounds smooth.
What to Compare Before You Rent a Sandstorm Server
Sandstorm server offers can look the same. These details decide how easy the server is to live with.
- Slots that match real lobbiesCheck the plans cover your use: 8 for co-op, 10 for a 5v5 scrim, up to 28 for full Versus.
- mod.io linkingAsk how the host handles mod.io's security code method, since it is how modded servers get their files today.
- Access to Start.bat and Game.iniYou need to edit the scenario, mutators, bots and rotation yourself without waiting on a ticket.
- RCON accessA browser console or RCON details you can use with your own tools saves time during a match.
- Location and pingIn a tactical shooter latency is felt on every shot, so test a location near your players.
- Billing termsCompare monthly and longer cycles, and check for setup fees or minimum contracts.
Insurgency: Sandstorm Server Glossary
- Scenario
- A loadable combination of map, mode and side, such as Scenario_Refinery_Push_Security.
- Checkpoint
- The co-op mode where your team takes objectives from AI and holds them against counter-attacks.
- Hardcore Checkpoint
- A tougher Checkpoint built around scarcity, with one player per class.
- Outpost
- A co-op mode where you defend against waves of attackers.
- Push
- A Versus mode where attackers capture objectives one by one while defenders hold.
- Supply points
- The budget each player spends on weapons and gear in the loadout.
- Commander and Observer
- The roles that call in fire support such as artillery.
- Mutator
- A rule change loaded on the server, for example Hardcore or Frenzy.
- Ruleset
- A packaged set of gameplay rules, such as OfficialRules.
- GSLT and GameStats token
- The Steam and New World Interactive tokens a server needs for XP and stats.
- RCON
- Remote console access for moderating the server without being in game.
Insurgency: Sandstorm Server Help and Next Steps
Guides for setting up and running your server.
- Official server admin guideLaunch options, config files, RCON and stats tokens from New World Interactive.
- Add mod.io mods and maps to your serverOur step-by-step guide to linking mod.io.
- Change the starting map and scenarioWith the full scenario list.
- Use RCON commands
- Gaming Deluxe control panelWhat the panel does and how to log in.
- Contact support24/7 help with mods, tokens and settings.
How this guide was made: researched from New World Interactive's server admin guide, the official FAQ and crossplay FAQ, the Steam store page and the update notes, drafted with AI assistance, checked against our live order form and WHMCS for every plan, price and location, and reviewed by Matthew Griffin before publishing. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Sources, checked October 14, 2026:
- Insurgency: Sandstorm on Steam
- Server Admin Guide, New World Interactive on mod.io
- How to set up a Steam dedicated server with mods, mod.io
- Insurgency: Sandstorm FAQ, official support
- Crossplay FAQ, official support
- Operation: Echoes (1.22) notes, New World Interactive on Steam
- Breachpoint (1.21) notes, New World Interactive on Steam
- Native PS5 and Xbox Series X|S release, Focus Entertainment
- Insurgency: Sandstorm, Focus Entertainment
- Gaming Deluxe knowledge base: mod.io mods on Insurgency: Sandstorm
- Gaming Deluxe order form, Insurgency Sandstorm