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Arma 3 Setup

Arma 3 thrives on CPU clock speed, fast storage, and precise mission management. Mamba Host deploys every instance on Dell PowerEdge R630 hardware (dual Intel E5-2680v4, 128 GB RAM, NVMe storage) with optional HeadlessClient slots and MySQL for persistent mods such as Exile, Epoch, or Altis Life.

Before You Begin

Section titled “Before You Begin”
  • Gather mission PBOs, server.cfg, basic.cfg, and beserver.cfg.
  • Decide how many HeadlessClients (HCs) you’ll run and prepare login credentials.
  • Collect mod lists (Workshop IDs or custom packs) plus TFAR/ACRE radio plugins.
  • Plan training nights, public ops, wipes, and maintenance windows so automation can be scheduled.

Plan Selection

Section titled “Plan Selection”
ScenarioRecommended PlanNotes
Training ops / small co-op (≤24 players)Starter (≈3 GB RAM)Optional single HC
Survival mods (Exile/Epoch, 30–50 players)Pro (≈5 GB RAM)Includes database provisioning
Battalion-sized milsim (60–80 players + heavy AI)Premium (≈8 GB RAM)Multiple HCs + priority support

Upgrade when server FPS dips below 40 during ops or HC CPU usage exceeds 80%.

Provision the Server

Section titled “Provision the Server”
  1. Visit https://panel.mambahost.com → Create Server → Arma 3.
  2. Choose plan, region, and DLC baseline (default includes all official maps).
  3. Deploy (≈2 minutes) and retrieve SFTP/RCON info from the console.
  4. Enable automated backups and set scheduler jobs for restarts + mission rotations.

Upload Missions & Mods

Section titled “Upload Missions & Mods”
  • Place mission PBOs in /mpmissions.
  • Upload mods to /steamapps/workshop/content/107410 or /mods and reference them via -mod=@ace;@rhs;@cba_a3.
  • For Workshop automation, add collection IDs in the panel so mods sync every restart.
  • Keep signature keys (.bikey) updated in /keys whenever you add new mods.

HeadlessClient & Persistence

Section titled “HeadlessClient & Persistence”
  • Enable HC slots (Pro+) and configure headlessClients[]={"127.0.0.1"};.
  • Use localClient[] to ensure HCs connect automatically.
  • Persistent frameworks (Exile/Epoch/Altis Life) require MySQL—request credentials and configure DSNs in mod configs.
  • Run scheduled tasks that monitor HC connectivity and restart them if they drop.

Performance Tuning

Section titled “Performance Tuning”
  • Adjust basic.cfg: e.g., MaxMsgSend=1024; and set MinBandwidth/MaxBandwidth according to player count.
  • Set mission view distances (2–4 km infantry, 6–12 km air) and use scripts to enforce them per role.
  • Keep AI counts manageable; offload heavy AI logic to HCs.
  • Schedule weekly restarts plus pre-op backups to ensure quick rollback if missions break.

Operations & Security

Section titled “Operations & Security”
  • Create separate panel/RCON accounts for Zeus, admins, and developers.
  • Log Zeus/admin actions via Discord webhooks or SQL tables for auditing.
  • Document SOPs for mission upload, mod approval, and post-op debriefing.
  • Store staging server snapshots so you can test mod updates before promoting to production.

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”
  • Mission fails to load: ensure clients and server have identical mod lists and requiredAddons references exist.
  • HC won’t connect: verify firewall allows loopback, HC password matches, and loopback = true is set.
  • Desync/warping: lower view distance, reduce ambient AI, and confirm basic.cfg bandwidth values are tuned to slot count.
  • Signature kicks: update .bikey files when mods change and remove outdated keys.
  • Database (Exile/Epoch) issues: check MySQL credentials, enforce indexes, and schedule dumps before wipes.
Section titled “Helpful Links”