Arma Reforger Dedicated Server Setup Guide 2026

Arma Reforger ships with a native Linux dedicated server binary. No Wine, no Proton, no compatibility layer. The binary runs directly on the OS, which means lower overhead and a simpler setup compared to most game servers. Here is how to get one running.

Requirements

Reforger's server is single-threaded for the simulation tick but benefits from extra cores for networking and mod loading. Practical sizing:

Storage grows fast when you add Workshop mods, especially map mods. Start with more disk than you think you need.

Installation via SteamCMD

Reforger's dedicated server app ID is 1874900. Install it with SteamCMD:

steamcmd +force_install_dir /opt/arma_reforger +login anonymous +app_update 1874900 validate +quit

Anonymous login works. No paid account needed for the server binary.

After the download finishes, the main executable is ArmaReforgerServer in the install directory:

/opt/arma_reforger/ArmaReforgerServer

Before launching it, you need a configuration file.

Server Configuration

Reforger reads its config from a JSON file you pass at launch. Create server.json:

{
  "publicPort": 2001,
  "a2s": {
    "address": "0.0.0.0",
    "port": 17777
  },
  "game": {
    "name": "My Reforger Server",
    "password": "",
    "passwordAdmin": "changeme",
    "admins": [],
    "scenarioId": "{ECC61978EDCC2B5A}Missions/23_Campaign.conf",
    "maxPlayers": 64,
    "visible": true,
    "gameProperties": {
      "serverMaxViewDistance": 2500,
      "serverMinGrassDistance": 50,
      "networkViewDistance": 1500,
      "disableThirdPerson": false,
      "fastValidation": true,
      "VONDisableUI": true,
      "VONDisableDirectSpeechUI": true
    },
    "mods": []
  }
}

Field names are case-sensitive. Older guides still use gameHostBindPort, gameHostRegisterPort, a2sQueryEnabled and steamQueryPort. Bohemia renamed the first two to bindPort and publicPort in 0.9.8.73 and replaced the query settings with the a2s block in 0.9.9, so stick to the names above.

Key fields:

• publicPort: the UDP port players connect to, 2001 by default. Bohemia's Server Config page recommends leaving bindAddress, bindPort and publicAddress out unless your network needs them; the server then listens on all addresses and detects its public IP itself.
• a2s: the optional Steam Query (A2S) listener on port 17777. Leave the block out if nothing needs to query your server.
• scenarioId: determines the game mode. The string above is the original Conflict on Everon, which Bohemia's patch notes now call Legacy Conflict. Update 1.6 (October 2025) added Conflict: HQ Commander as separate scenarios for Everon, Arland and Kolguyev, with a commander role that players can volunteer for or vote on. Start the server with -listScenarios to print the official scenario paths in the log, or copy a Workshop scenario's ID from the Scenarios tab on its Workshop page.
• maxPlayers: Reforger accepts 1 to 128, but realistic performance caps depend on hardware and scenario complexity. Most community servers run 32 to 64.
• passwordAdmin: what you type after #login in the in-game chat to get admin rights. No spaces. Change it. IDs in admins can log in without it.
• mods: an array of Workshop mod entries (covered below).
• crossPlatform and supportedPlatforms: left out above, so the server accepts PC players only. Our Arma Reforger crossplay guide shows how to open it to Xbox and PS5.

Launching the Server

/opt/arma_reforger/ArmaReforgerServer -config server.json -profile /opt/arma_reforger/profile -maxFPS 60

• -config: path to your JSON config.
• -profile: directory for logs, saves, and downloaded mod files.
• -maxFPS: caps the server's frame rate. Bohemia's Server Hosting page strongly recommends a value between 60 and 120, because without a cap the server can try to use all available resources. Bohemia's own examples use 60.

The server logs to the console and to files in the profile directory.

Adding Workshop Mods

Mods go in the mods array inside the game block. modId is the field that matters: Bohemia's Server Config page says name is only a label, and version is optional (leave it out and the server uses the latest version).

"mods": [
  {
    "modId": "5965680B349E9B53",
    "name": "ExampleMod",
    "version": "1.0.0"
  }
]

Find mod IDs on the Arma Reforger Workshop website, or enable the mods in the game, open the Mod Manager, switch to its JSON tab and copy the list. The server downloads the listed mods when it starts and, by default, stores them in the profile directory. Players do not need to install them beforehand: the game downloads and activates the server's mods when they join.

Every mod adds to disk use and memory, and the amount varies a lot from mod to mod. Add a few at a time and check the server's memory use after each restart.

Ports

Open these ports on your firewall:

Bohemia lists 17777 and 19999 as optional. If you changed the ports in the config, open those instead.

Running as a systemd Service

To keep the server running after you close your terminal and to auto-restart on crashes:

[Unit]
Description=Arma Reforger Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=arma
WorkingDirectory=/opt/arma_reforger
ExecStart=/opt/arma_reforger/ArmaReforgerServer -config server.json -profile /opt/arma_reforger/profile -maxFPS 60
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=15

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save as /etc/systemd/system/arma-reforger.service, then:

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable arma-reforger
systemctl start arma-reforger

Performance Notes

Reforger's server performance scales with three things: player count, AI count, and mod complexity.

Conflict mode spawns AI groups that grow as players contest objectives. A 64-player Conflict server with many active objectives can push 8 GB of RAM usage. Game Master mode with a human GM spawning units can spike higher depending on what the GM is doing.

If you see the server tick rate drop (visible in logs), the usual fixes are:

• Lower serverMaxViewDistance to reduce simulation range
• Lower networkViewDistance to reduce replication scope
• Reduce max players if the scenario cannot handle the count
• Add RAM if the OOM killer is involved

Updating

Reforger updates frequently during its development cycle. To update the server, stop it and re-run the SteamCMD command:

systemctl stop arma-reforger
steamcmd +force_install_dir /opt/arma_reforger +login anonymous +app_update 1874900 validate +quit
systemctl start arma-reforger

Check your mods after an update. Game updates sometimes break mod compatibility, so read the server log after the restart and test the scenario before players join.

FAQ

Can I run multiple scenarios on one server? Not simultaneously. Each server instance runs one scenario. To offer both Conflict and Game Master, run two server instances on different ports.

Does the server require a GPU? No. The dedicated server is headless and does no rendering.

Is the server browser the only way players connect? Players can also connect directly by IP. In the game's server browser, search by name or use the direct connect option.

How often does Bohemia update the server? Bohemia has shipped three major updates in the past year (1.6 in October 2025, 1.7 in May 2026 and 1.8 in August 2026), with smaller hotfix updates between them. Each one means re-running SteamCMD.

Hosting on Space-Node

Our Arma Reforger server hosting runs the native Linux binary on AMD Ryzen hardware with NVMe SSD, and DDoS protection is included. You add Workshop mods by their ID to the mods list in your server's config.json, and the server downloads them when it starts. Nine regions: the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Canada, USA (California), USA (Virginia), Singapore, India and Australia.

Related guides: Arma Reforger Game Master guide | Best Arma Reforger mods and scenarios | Best Arma Reforger server hosting compared