Which mods should you install on an Arma 3 server?

Arma 3 draws most of its lifespan from its mods. Almost all of them come from the Steam Workshop, and some completely transform the experience of a server. Here are the must-haves, from the realistic military simulator to the full game mode, and how to load them server-side without breaking compatibility.

The essential foundation: CBA_A3

First of all, install CBA_A3 (Community Base Addons). It's a dependency required by most of the big mods: without it, RHS or ACE won't even launch. Think of it as the building block of every modded Arma 3 server.

The heavy mods that change everything

• RHS (Red Hammer Studios): the most complete pack of vehicles, weapons and uniforms. USAF, AFRF, GREF… a heavy mod, but one that has become a standard for realism.
• ACE3: medical simulation, advanced ballistics and in-depth equipment management. A must-have for milsim communities.
• Antistasi: far more than a mod, it's a persistent co-op guerrilla game mode. An Antistasi server can keep a community busy for months.

Where to find missions and scenarios

Mods aren't everything: an Arma 3 server also lives through its missions. The Workshop is packed with co-op scenarios, frameworks like KP Liberation and Zeus missions. Place your .pbo files in the mpmissions folder of the dedicated server to make them playable.

Golden rule: all players AND the server must load exactly the same mods, in the same order. A missing mod on the client side = impossible to connect.

Loading mods server-side

On a dedicated server, mods are declared through the -mod= parameter at launch, pointing to each mod folder. On a host, the panel handles this parameter for you: you tick the mods and the FlyPanel builds the command line automatically. For the full setup, see our guide How to create an Arma 3 server?

Beware of heavy mods

RHS and ACE combined demand plenty of RAM and a fast CPU. On slow hardware, loading times skyrocket and the server can lag with several players. That's why the choice of host matters as much as the choice of mods.

Ready to set up your modded server? Launch an Arma 3 server with Fly-Serv from 2.99 €/month, on Ryzen 9 7950X3D machines built for heavy mods. The FlyPanel panel installs RHS, ACE and Antistasi in just a few clicks.