Squad Setup
Squad servers rely on steady CPU performance, fast I/O, and dependable RCON access for 50v50 combined-arms battles. This guide covers provisioning, configuration, and operations on Mamba Host’s Dell PowerEdge R630 hardware (dual Intel E5-2680v4, 128 GB RAM, NVMe).
Before You Begin
Section titled “Before You Begin”- Licensed vs unlicensed configuration decided; server token ready if applicable.
Server.cfg,LayerRotation.cfg, and admin permission JSON files prepared.- Admin tooling chosen (SquadJS, BattleMetrics RCON, custom bots) with credentials.
- Workshop/mod stack (IDs for custom factions/maps) documented.
Plan Selection
Section titled “Plan Selection”| Player Target | Recommended Plan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 20–30 (training/private) | Starter (≈3 GB RAM) | Drills, whitelisted nights |
| 40–60 (public servers) | Pro (≈5 GB RAM) | Most communities start here |
| 70–80 (full 50v50) | Premium (≈8 GB RAM) | Prioritized CPU + support |
Upgrade when server frame time exceeds 16 ms on full lobbies or when armor-heavy layers hitch.
Provision the Server
Section titled “Provision the Server”- Go to https://panel.mambahost.com → Create Server → Squad.
- Select plan/region and deploy (~2 minutes).
- Grab SFTP credentials and RCON info from the console output.
- Enable auto-backups before customizing configs.
Configure Core Files
Section titled “Configure Core Files”- Upload
Server.cfgto/SquadGame/ServerConfig/and edit hostname, rules, passwords, tick settings. - Update
LayerRotation.cfg(orMapRotation.cfg) with desired layers, mixing official + modded entries. - Add admin permission levels in
Admins.cfgtied to SteamIDs. - Configure RCON (
Rcon.cfg) and connect via SquadJS/BattleMetrics for remote control.
Mods & Workshop Content
Section titled “Mods & Workshop Content”- Create/subscribe to a Steam Workshop collection with required mods/factions.
- Set the collection ID in startup variables so mods download during restarts.
- Verify each mod’s GUID appears in
Mods.txt; restart to load them. - For manual installs, upload
.pakfiles to/SquadGame/Content/Paksand reference them in config.
Operations & Maintenance
Section titled “Operations & Maintenance”- Schedule daily restarts + weekly map wipes (if running limited rotations) via the panel scheduler.
- Track performance via panel metrics and admin dashboards; high packet loss indicates bandwidth constraints.
- Version-control
Server.cfg/layer files so changes can roll back quickly. - Pipe admin logs to Discord for player reports, TK tracking, and automated moderation.
- Document escalation paths for licensed servers (OWI guidelines).
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”- Players stuck on loading: ensure mods are whitelisted, run
ForceInstallfor Workshop IDs, and confirm FastDL/HTTP redirects are reachable. - RCON disconnects: whitelist admin IPs, ensure connection limits aren’t exceeded, keep heartbeat running.
- Armor-heavy lag: limit simultaneous vehicles, rotate infantry layers more often, or scale to Premium.
- Licensed server rejection: double-check the license token, hostname format, and EULA compliance.
Helpful Links
Section titled “Helpful Links”- Squad Server Hosting Guide
- Plan Overview
- Support: support@mambahost.com or Discord https://discord.gg/mambahost