Arma Reforger Dedicated Server

An Arma Reforger dedicated server. Updates to the latest version every time it is restarted.

NOTE: Runs as root by design. SteamCMD requires root to install game files.

Usage

Docker CLI

    docker create \
        --name=reforger-server \
        -p 2001:2001/udp \
        -v path/to/configs:/reforger/Configs \
        -v path/to/profiles:/home/profile \
        -v path/to/workshop:/reforger/workshop \
        -e SERVER_PUBLIC_ADDRESS="public ip" \
        -e GAME_NAME="My Docker Reforger Server" \
        ghcr.io/acemod/arma-reforger:latest

If an admin password is not provided, one will be generated and printed to the console.

Docker-compose

Copy the provided docker-compose.yml and adjust it to your needs.

It pulls ghcr.io/acemod/arma-reforger:latest unless REFORGER_IMAGE says otherwise. Put that in a .env next to the compose file to run a fork's package or a local build instead, so you never have to edit the image line.

Parameters

Configs

By default the container regenerates Configs/docker_generated.json from a bundled template on every startup. The environment variables decide what ends up in it, including which optional sections get written at all: A2S, RCON, persistence, operating, and mission header overrides.

If you want to hand-edit a config file and keep those changes, point ARMA_CONFIG at your own file in the Configs volume, .json and all. That file is used as-is and is not modified by the container.

Steam / Installation

Variable	Default	Description
STEAM_USER	(empty)	Steam username (anonymous login if empty)
STEAM_PASSWORD	(empty)	Steam password
STEAM_APPID	1874900	Steam app ID. Use 1890870 for the experimental server. That one needs a one-time Windows SteamCMD pass first, which the container handles for you
STEAM_BRANCH	public	Steam branch to install from
STEAM_BRANCH_PASSWORD	(empty)	Password for the Steam branch
SKIP_INSTALL	false	Skip the SteamCMD install/update step

Server / Network

Variable	Default	Description
ARMA_CONFIG	docker_generated	Config to load. The default regenerates it from the environment variables. Any other value is a filename in the Configs volume, extension included, and is used as-is
ARMA_PROFILE	/home/profile	Server profile directory
ARMA_BINARY	./ArmaReforgerServer	Path to the server binary
ARMA_PARAMS	(empty)	Additional command-line parameters (e.g. -loadSessionSave to resume a previous session)
ARMA_MAX_FPS	120	Maximum server FPS
ARMA_WORKSHOP_DIR	/reforger/workshop	Workshop / addons directory
SERVER_BIND_ADDRESS	0.0.0.0	Address the server binds to
SERVER_BIND_PORT	2001	Port the server binds to (UDP)
SERVER_PUBLIC_ADDRESS	(empty)	Public IP address for server browser
SERVER_PUBLIC_PORT	2001	Public port for server browser
SERVER_A2S_ADDRESS	0.0.0.0	A2S query address. Set both address and port to enable; leave either empty to disable
SERVER_A2S_PORT	17777	A2S query port (UDP)

NOTE: The full list of Startup Parameters for ARMA_PARAMS can be found on the Arma Reforger wiki.

NOTE: The container health check uses the active A2S settings when A2S is enabled. If A2S is disabled, the health check is skipped.

RCON

RCON is activated by defining the RCON_PASSWORD variable.

Variable	Default	Description
RCON_ADDRESS	0.0.0.0	RCON bind address
RCON_PORT	19999	RCON port (UDP)
RCON_PASSWORD	(empty)	RCON password. Required for RCON to start. Must be at least 3 characters, no spaces
RCON_PERMISSION	admin	Permission level for all RCON clients
RCON_MAX_CLIENTS	(empty)	Maximum number of concurrent RCON connections (1–16). Server default is 16
RCON_BLACKLIST	(empty)	Comma-separated list of commands excluded from execution. Cannot be used together with RCON_WHITELIST
RCON_WHITELIST	(empty)	Comma-separated list of allowed commands. Cannot be used together with RCON_BLACKLIST

Game

Variable	Default	Description
GAME_NAME	Arma Reforger Docker Server	Server name shown in the server browser
GAME_PASSWORD	(empty)	Password required to join the server
GAME_PASSWORD_ADMIN	(empty)	Admin password. If left empty, a random passphrase is generated and printed to the console
GAME_ADMINS	(empty)	Comma-delimited list of admin identityIds and/or steamIds
GAME_SCENARIO_ID	{ECC61978EDCC2B5A}Missions/23_Campaign.conf	Scenario to load
GAME_MAX_PLAYERS	32	Maximum number of players
GAME_VISIBLE	true	Whether the server is visible in the server browser
GAME_SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS	PLATFORM_PC,PLATFORM_XBL,PLATFORM_PSN	Comma-separated list of supported platforms
GAME_CROSS_PLATFORM	(empty)	Accept all platforms if true. Recommended over GAME_SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS
GAME_MODS_REQUIRED_BY_DEFAULT	(empty)	Default required value for mods that do not explicitly set one. Server default is true
GAME_MODS_AUTO_PRUNE	false	Remove downloaded mods that are not referenced by the active server config or one of its installed dependencies
GAME_MISSION_HEADER_JSON_FILE_PATH	(empty)	Path to a JSON file containing mission header overrides (see Mission Header)
GAME_MODS_IDS_LIST	(empty)	Comma-separated mod IDs with optional version (e.g. 5965770215E93269=1.0.6,5965550F24A0C152)
GAME_MODS_JSON_FILE_PATH	(empty)	Path to a JSON file containing an array of mod objects (see Mods)

Game Properties

Variable	Default	Description
GAME_PROPS_BATTLEYE	true	Enable BattlEye anti-cheat
GAME_PROPS_DISABLE_THIRD_PERSON	false	Disable third-person camera
GAME_PROPS_FAST_VALIDATION	true	Enable fast addon validation
GAME_PROPS_SERVER_MAX_VIEW_DISTANCE	2500	Maximum view distance (meters)
GAME_PROPS_SERVER_MIN_GRASS_DISTANCE	50	Minimum grass render distance (meters)
GAME_PROPS_NETWORK_VIEW_DISTANCE	1000	Network view distance (meters)
GAME_PROPS_VON_DISABLE_UI	false	Disable VON UI
GAME_PROPS_VON_DISABLE_DIRECT_SPEECH_UI	false	Disable VON direct speech UI
GAME_PROPS_VON_CAN_TRANSMIT_CROSS_FACTION	false	Allow cross-faction VON transmission

Persistence

Persistence is disabled by default. The game's own defaults are fine for most servers. Set any PERSISTENCE_* variable to enable the persistence config section.

NOTE: -loadSessionSave must be enabled in order to load session saves.

Variable	Default	Description
PERSISTENCE_AUTO_SAVE_INTERVAL	(empty)	Minutes between auto-saves (0–60). 0 disables auto-save. Server default is 10
PERSISTENCE_SAVE_RETENTION	(empty)	Number of save points to keep for the current mission (1–128). Server default is 10
PERSISTENCE_LOAD_SESSION_SAVE	(empty)	Automatically load the latest save point on first startup. Server default is true
PERSISTENCE_KEEP_SESSION_SAVE	(empty)	Keep save points after the mission is finished. Server default is false
PERSISTENCE_HIVE_ID	(empty)	Hive identifier (0–16383). Used when multiple servers share a persistence database
PERSISTENCE_JSON_FILE_PATH	(empty)	Path to a JSON file containing databases and/or storages objects (see below)

A default persistence template is bundled in the image at /persistence_default.json. To use it:

-e PERSISTENCE_JSON_FILE_PATH="/persistence_default.json"

For advanced persistence setups (external databases, custom storages), create a JSON file with databases and/or storages objects and mount it into the container:

-v ${PWD}/persistence.json:/persistence.json
-e PERSISTENCE_JSON_FILE_PATH="/persistence.json"
-e PERSISTENCE_AUTO_SAVE_INTERVAL=15

Example persistence.json:

{
  "databases": {
    "webapi": {
      "preset": "{0123456789ABCDEF}Configs/Systems/Persistence/Database/JsonWebApi.conf",
      "options": {
        "url": "https://persistence-db.example.com:5539/api/v1",
        "headers": {
          "X-API-KEY": "your-api-key",
          "Content-Type": "application/json"
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "storages": {
    "session": {
      "database": "webapi"
    }
  }
}

Documentation:

• Persistence
• Persistence Server Configuration

Operating

Operating settings are disabled by default. Set any OPERATING_* variable to enable the operating config section.

Variable	Default	Description
OPERATING_LOBBY_PLAYER_SYNCHRONISE	(empty)	Sync player list to GameAPI with heartbeat. Server default is true
OPERATING_DISABLE_CRASH_REPORTER	(empty)	Disable automatic crash reporter. Server default is false
OPERATING_DISABLE_NAVMESH_STREAMING	(empty)	Disable navmesh streaming (loads entire navmesh into memory). Set to all to disable all navmesh streaming, or comma-separated navmesh names for specific ones
OPERATING_DISABLE_SERVER_SHUTDOWN	(empty)	Prevent server shutdown on backend connection loss. Server default is false
OPERATING_DISABLE_AI	(empty)	Completely disable AI functionality. Server default is false
OPERATING_PLAYER_SAVE_TIME	(empty)	Period in seconds for saving players. Server default is 120
OPERATING_AI_LIMIT	(empty)	Maximum number of AIs. Negative value disables the limit. Server default is -1
OPERATING_SLOT_RESERVATION_TIMEOUT	(empty)	Duration in seconds to reserve a slot for kicked players (5–300). Server default is 60
OPERATING_JOIN_QUEUE_MAX_SIZE	(empty)	Maximum join queue size (0–50). 0 disables the queue. Server default is 0

Mission Header

The mission header allows overriding scenario properties such as the displayed name, starting time, and weather. Create a JSON file and mount it into the container:

-v ${PWD}/mission_header.json:/mission_header.json
-e GAME_MISSION_HEADER_JSON_FILE_PATH="/mission_header.json"

Example mission_header.json:

{
    "m_sName": "My Very Own Hosted Conflict",
    "m_sDetails": "Custom server description",
    "m_iStartingHours": 7,
    "m_iStartingMinutes": 30,
    "m_bRandomStartingWeather": true
}

Mods

Workshop mods can be defined in two ways, GAME_MODS_IDS_LIST and GAME_MODS_JSON_FILE_PATH. Use either one, or both.

Set GAME_MODS_AUTO_PRUNE=true to clear unused mods out of ARMA_WORKSHOP_DIR before the server starts. It keeps the mods in the active config plus their installed dependencies and removes the rest. Unrelated or invalid directories are left alone. If a configured mod or one of its dependencies has bad metadata, startup stops and nothing is pruned. An interrupted prune finishes on the next start.

GAME_MODS_IDS_LIST

A comma separated list of IDs, with an optional version. Entries generated from this list inherit GAME_MODS_REQUIRED_BY_DEFAULT when it is set.

-e GAME_MODS_IDS_LIST="5965770215E93269=1.0.6,5965550F24A0C152"

GAME_MODS_JSON_FILE_PATH

Path to a JSON file that contains an array of mod objects.

-v ${PWD}/mods_file.json:/mods_file.json
-e GAME_MODS_JSON_FILE_PATH="/mods_file.json"

[
  {
    "modId": "597706449575D90B",
    "version": "1.1.1",
    "required": true
  }
]

Documentation

The full Server Configuration can be found here.
The Dockerfile may not include every option that is currently available and may lag behind upstream for additional feature support.

Development

App code lives in src/ and is copied to /app in the image. Tests live in tests/. persistence_default.json stays at the repository root because it ships to /persistence_default.json. Users point PERSISTENCE_JSON_FILE_PATH at that file.

Pinned dev dependencies and tool config both live in pyproject.toml, as PEP 735 groups. CI runs the same commands against the same versions. Needs pip 25.1 or newer for --group.

pip install --group dev

Then run the checks.

black --check --diff .
isort --check-only --diff .
pylint --recursive=y .
pytest -q

pre-commit runs all of that plus hadolint on the Dockerfile.

pip install pre-commit
pre-commit install

scripts/build.sh builds the image locally and tags it arma-reforger-test. Set REFORGER_IMAGE=arma-reforger-test to run that build through the compose file.