Arma Reforger Scenario IDs and Server Performance Tuning

Official scenario IDs

These nine are listed as official scenarios on the Bohemia Interactive Community Wiki Server Config page (version 1.1.0 note):

The wiki separately lists Capture and Hold scenarios as Workshop scenarios, giving only file names: CAH_Military_Base, CAH_LeMoule, CAH_Castle, CAH_Concrete_Plant, CAH_Morton, CAH_Briars_Coast, CAH_Factory and CAH_Forest, each as {GUID}Missions/FILENAME.conf. For their full IDs, and to check whether your server needs a matching Workshop mod in game.mods, run -listScenarios on your own server rather than copying from a third-party list.

IDs can change between game versions. If a scenario that used to work now fails to load, regenerate the list with -listScenarios and compare.

"scenarioId": "{2BBBE828037C6F4B}Missions/22_GM_Arland.conf"

Which scenario fits your community

From the wiki's mode descriptions and general play experience:

• Conflict is the large-scale PvPvE mode, with factions fighting for control of the island and AI forces in the mix. It is the usual choice for a big public or regular-playerbase server.
• Combat Ops is PvE, for solo or cooperative play focused on small-team tactics and objectives. It suits a co-op community that wants to play together against the AI.
• Game Master is a real-time editor where one or more players build and run the encounter for the others. For a milsim unit this is the mode for scripted operations, because your staff can place and direct the action as it happens.
• Capture and Hold focuses on shorter fights around single locations, which suits a quick-session server.

game.maxPlayers accepts 1 to 256 (default 64), but how many players a scenario handles well depends on the scenario and on your server's performance. The scenario's header can also set its own player count; the config's optional missionHeader block overrides it, with m_iPlayerCount as one of the fields in Bohemia's example.

Changing the scenario

1. Pick the ID

   Copy it exactly from the table above or from your own -listScenarios output.

2. Edit the config

   Set game.scenarioId in your server config file. Back up the working file first.

3. Restart the server

   A scenario change takes effect on a fresh start. The in-game #restart admin command restarts the running scenario with players still connected, and does not switch to a different scenario.

If the server keeps the old scenario after a restart, you are probably editing a different file from the one your launch line points to. Check the path after -config.

Server FPS: maxFPS, logStats and what to watch

The two launch parameters worth adding to every server:

• -maxFPS VALUE caps the server frame rate. Bohemia recommends a value in the 60 to 120 range, and warns that without it the server can try to use all available resources.
• -logStats INTERVAL writes performance statistics to the log at the interval you give, in milliseconds. According to the startup-parameters page this includes FPS, frame times, memory, and counts of players, AI, vehicles and projectiles.

ArmaReforgerServer.exe -config ".\Configs\my_server.json" -maxFPS 60 -logStats 30000

Run a session with realistic player and AI numbers and read the log afterwards. The point of -logStats is to see where the server's FPS falls as AI, vehicles or projectiles pile up, instead of guessing. If your control panel shows live CPU, memory and player graphs, line them up against those log timestamps.

The Bohemia Server Hosting and Server Config pages give no hardware requirements for the dedicated server, so there is no honest fixed number. Measure your own scenario with real players, and change one thing at a time.

AI and view-distance settings that cost performance

Bohemia's own example uses 2500 for serverMaxViewDistance and 1000 for networkViewDistance. Lowering the network distance is the cheapest way to cut what the server has to send when many players are spread across the map; change it in steps and watch the stats.

Running a milsim community server

Performance is half of a good milsim server. The other half is control and consistency.

• Access: use game.password for a closed event and game.admins for staff Steam or identity IDs. Staff can then use #login without sharing the admin password.
• Admin commands: the Bohemia wiki lists #kick (player ID), #ban create with a duration in seconds (0 is permanent) and an optional reason, #ban remove, #ban list, #players, #restart and #shutdown.
• Reserved slots: operating.slotReservationTimeout controls how long a kicked player's slot is held (5 to 300 seconds, default 60).
• Anti-cheat: keep battlEye on for public sessions.
• Consistency: pin your mod versions, keep a known-good config backup, and restart on a schedule that fits your event times.

Hosting with ChicagoServers? The ArmA Reforger server hosting page lists what is included, such as free server backups and SFTP file access.

Frequently asked questions