Arma 3 server settings and options

A dedicated Arma 3 server.

Start and connect

1. Press Start and wait until the status says Online.
2. Find your address and port on the Network page. See Network and ports.
3. In the game, use its direct connect or add-server option with that address and port.

Some games use extra ports, for example to list the server in a browser. If players cannot see or reach your server, open a ticket and we will check the ports. See Contact support.

Settings you can change

These are the settings shown on your Startup page. Only settings that can be safely edited are listed.

Setting	Variable	What it does	Default
Server Binary	SERVER_BINARY	Server binary to call on server start. (32-bit: arma3server | 64-bit: arma3server_x64)	arma3server_x64
Extra Startup Parameters	STARTUP_PARAMS	See https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Arma_3_Startup_Parameters for more info on valid flags for this field. “-noLogs” is recommended to prevent console rate-limit warnings.	-noLogs
Max Players	MAX_PLAYERS	Maximum number of players allowed to join the server.	32
Server Password	SERVER_PASSWORD	Password required to join the server. Leave blank to have no password.	(blank)
Automatic Updates	UPDATE_SERVER	Quickly checks for any server or mod updates on startup, and updates if necessary. (1 Enable | 0 Disable)	1
Download Creator DLCs	CDLC	Downloads/Updates all the mod files required to run any CDLC during the next Automatic Update. DLCs can be enabled by adding their mod folder name to the Additional Mods startup variable. For example, add “vn;” to load the Prairie Fire CDLC. (1 Yes | 0 No)	0
Modlist File (Exported from A3 Launcher)	MOD_FILE	Filename for an exported modlist. This file will be parsed for mod installation and loading. Upload your HTML file to the root directory (eg. /home/container/modlist.html). Leave blank to disable loading mods from a modlist.	modlist.html
Additional Mods	MODIFICATIONS	A semicolon-separated list of additional mod folders to load. Useful for loading CDLCs or manually uploaded mods. This mod list will be loaded in addition to the Modlist File (if used). Any mods in this list that are in “@workshopID” form will also be included in Automatic Updates (if enabled). NO capital letters, spaces, or folders starting with a number! (ex….	(blank)
[Repair] Make Mod Files Lowercase	MODS_LOWERCASE	Every mod that is set to be loaded will have its folder and files changed to lowercase (to prevent errors). It is recommended to enable this for one server boot after copying a mod from a Windows machine to the server, or if mods seem to not be loading. (1 Enable | 0 Disable)	0
[Repair] Validate Server Files	VALIDATE_SERVER	Validates all server files when Automatic Updates is enabled. Note: This will significantly increase server startup times, so it is recommended to only enable this when needed. (1 Enable | 0 Disable)	0
[Advanced] Server-Side Only Mods	SERVERMODS	Mod folders to be used with the “-serverMods” startup option. They only run server-side and are not required by clients if “verifySignatures” is enabled. Any mods in this list that are in “@workshopID” form will also be included in Automatic Updates (if enabled). NO capital letters, spaces, or folders starting with a number! Each folder must be followed with a semicolon (ex….	(blank)
[Advanced] Optional Client-Side Mods	OPTIONALMODS	A semicolon-separated list of optional mods to load into the keys folder, but not include in server’s mod parameter. Useful for allowing clients to connect to the server with or without the mod loaded. Mods in this list must be in “@workshopID” form (ex. @123456789;@987654321;). These will also be included in Automatic Updates (if enabled).	(blank)
[Advanced] Extra Flags for SteamCMD	STEAMCMD_EXTRA_FLAGS	[This will override “Download Creator DLCs” if used] Only used when checking for server updates, and typically used for grabbing beta builds. Example: -beta profiling -betapassword CautionSpecialProfilingAndTestingBranchArma3	(blank)
[Advanced] Headless Clients (HC)	HC_NUM	Number of Headless Clients (0 - 5) to launch parallel with the server. Be sure to set the following “HC Connect Password” variable if your server is password locked. PLEASE NOTE: Using a headless client is only recommended for advanced users, adds extra overhead to your permitted server resources, and is only beneficial if a properly written, HC compliant, mission file is…	0
[Advanced] HC Hide Console Output	HC_HIDE	Hides Headless Client console output (except for critical errors) to prevent nonessential console spam. (1 Hide | 0 Show)	1
[Advanced] Clear HC Profiles Cache on Startup	CLEAR_CACHE	Deletes all profiles from the “/home/container/serverprofile/home” directory on startup, except for the server’s main “Player” profile. Recommended to enable when running HCs, because the profiles are generally unused and can cause HCs to crash if they develop errors. (1 Enable | 0 Disable)	0

Change a setting

1. Stop your server.
2. Open Startup in the left menu and find the setting under Server Variables.
3. Change the value, save, and start your server.

See Startup settings.

Files the panel keeps up to date

Each time your server starts, the panel writes your server’s port and address into: server.cfg. If a value you set in those files keeps changing back, that is why. Change it with the settings above, or open a ticket.

Need help?

Open a ticket or ask on Discord. See Contact support.