Arma 3 server hosting for your unit
Run your unit’s operations, public missions or training on your own Arma 3 server. Load Steam Workshop mods, check signatures with keys and move AI work to headless clients.
- Steam Workshop mods with -mod and -serverMod
- Signature checks with your mods’ keys
- Mission rotation from MPMissions
- Headless clients for AI-heavy operations
- Players
- Set by maxPlayers and the mission
- PortsGame and voice on 2302, then Steam query, Steam master and BattlEye in sequence. Leave 100 ports between instances.
- 2302–2306 UDP
- Version
- 2.22 (2026), 64-bit server
- Mods
- Steam Workshop with keys
- CPU
- Single-thread speed matters most
- Anti-cheat
- BattlEye
Server parts
- server.cfg
- basic.cfg
- MPMissions
- Workshop
- Headless client
- BattlEye
Game facts from Bohemia Interactive’s community wiki and Arma 3 update notes, checked in October 2026.
- DDoS protection
- 20 game server locations
Arma 3 plans are being prepared
Tell us your unit size, mod set and missions, and our team will reply with the options. Or open a ticket and we will let you know when the plans are online.
How big should an Arma 3 server be?
Mod sets fill the disk and AI fills the CPU: size for your mods, your missions and your player count.
Find your size
| Feature |
Small unit
Up to 20 players
|
Recommended Operations
Up to 60 players with mods
|
Large ops
60+ players or heavy AI
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore. | 6 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB+ |
| CPU coresScripts and AI groups run mostly on one thread, so clock speed matters; headless clients take AI load off the server. | 4 | 4–6 | 6+ |
| Disk spaceThe server itself is large, and Workshop mod sets with terrains and unit packs can add tens of gigabytes. | 80 GB | 150 GB | 250 GB |
| Typical use | Training and small co-op missions | Unit operations with a mod set | Large public or persistent missions |
-
Small unit
Up to 20 players
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 6 GB
- CPU coresScripts and AI groups run mostly on one thread, so clock speed matters; headless clients take AI load off the server.
- 4
- Disk spaceThe server itself is large, and Workshop mod sets with terrains and unit packs can add tens of gigabytes.
- 80 GB
- Typical use
- Training and small co-op missions
-
Recommended
Operations
Up to 60 players with mods
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 12 GB
- CPU coresScripts and AI groups run mostly on one thread, so clock speed matters; headless clients take AI load off the server.
- 4–6
- Disk spaceThe server itself is large, and Workshop mod sets with terrains and unit packs can add tens of gigabytes.
- 150 GB
- Typical use
- Unit operations with a mod set
-
Large ops
60+ players or heavy AI
- Memory (RAM)Working memory for the world, the players and every mod. Leave headroom: memory use grows as players explore.
- 16 GB+
- CPU coresScripts and AI groups run mostly on one thread, so clock speed matters; headless clients take AI load off the server.
- 6+
- Disk spaceThe server itself is large, and Workshop mod sets with terrains and unit packs can add tens of gigabytes.
- 250 GB
- Typical use
- Large public or persistent missions
Bohemia publishes no server hardware figures; these starting points follow common practice for units. Headless clients need their own resources.
Mods, keys, missions and headless clients
The parts of an Arma 3 server your unit will touch most.
Workshop mods
-mod loads mods every player needs, -serverMod those only the server runs. On Linux, separate the list with an escaped semicolon.
Signature checks
With verifySignatures 2, only players whose mods match the keys in the server’s keys folder can join.
Missions
Put mission files in MPMissions as mission.world.pbo and list them with a difficulty in class Missions.
Headless clients
Move AI to headless clients: whitelist them in server.cfg and start them with -client.
Creator DLC
Players need to own a Creator DLC the server uses unless it ships data for non-owners; terrains always need the DLC. Admins need none.
basic.cfg
Network tuning such as message sizes and bandwidth. Change it with care and test with your players.
Set up your Arma 3 server
Four steps to your unit’s first operation.
-
Pick size and mod set
Use the table above for your players, mods and AI.
-
Pick a location
Choose the one closest to your unit from our 20 game server locations.
-
Load mods, keys and missions
Set the -mod list, copy each mod’s key into keys, add your .pbo files to MPMissions and set passwords in server.cfg.
-
Join the server
In the Arma 3 launcher, open Servers and use Direct Connect with the address and port.
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Frequently asked questions
Which ports does an Arma 3 server use?
UDP 2302 for game and voice, 2303 for the Steam query, 2304 for the Steam master, 2305 reserved and 2306 for BattlEye. They follow the -port value; leave 100 ports between instances and keep the BattlEye RCon port outside that range.
How do I load Steam Workshop mods?
List mods every player needs with -mod and server-only mods with -serverMod. On Linux, some mods need lowercase file names.
Why are players kicked for signatures?
With verifySignatures 2 the server only accepts mods whose keys are in its keys folder. Copy the .bikey file of every mod you run into keys; unknown or unsigned mods are refused.
Do players need the Creator DLC?
Players need to own a Creator DLC used by the server unless its developer publishes compatibility data for non-owners; Creator DLC terrains always need the DLC. Server admins do not need to own any.
What is a headless client?
A separate client without graphics that takes over AI from the server. Whitelist it in headlessClients[] and localClient[] in server.cfg and start it with -client; it is built into the server executable.
How do I add missions?
Put each mission as a .pbo file named mission.world.pbo into MPMissions, without subfolders, and list it in class Missions in server.cfg with a difficulty: Recruit, Regular, Veteran or Custom.
What does basic.cfg do?
It holds network settings such as MaxMsgSend, MaxSizeGuaranteed and MinBandwidth. The defaults suit most servers; change them in small steps and test.
How do players join?
In the Arma 3 launcher, open the Servers tab and use Direct Connect with the address and port, or find the server in the in-game browser.
Which server build should I run?
The 64-bit arma3server_x64. With version 2.22 Bohemia deprecated the 32-bit server, and server and players must run the same game version.
Is BattlEye on by default?
Yes. BattlEye=1 is the default and recommended setting in server.cfg; keep its RCon port outside the game port range.
Ready for your unit’s next operation?
Tell us your unit size, mods and missions, and we will help you pick the right Arma 3 server.