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How to Configure Mission Cycles on an Arma 3 Server

Set up an Arma 3 mission cycle in server.cfg, match each template to a PBO in mpmissions, handle difficulty and mission parameters safely, and test the rotation before deploying it.
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Arma 3 reads a mission rotation from the dedicated server’s server.cfg. Add a class Missions block, give every mission a unique sub-class name, set its template and difficulty, place the matching .pbo files in the server’s mpmissions directory, then restart the server. Test with one mission first; only expand the rotation after that entry loads successfully.

What an Arma 3 mission cycle does

A mission cycle is the ordered list of multiplayer mission templates from which the dedicated server can choose. The list lives in server.cfg, not inside the mission files themselves. Each entry points to a mission PBO and specifies the difficulty preset the server should use for that entry.

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The order of the named entries is significant in the configuration examples used by Arma 3 server guides. Keep the entries in the order in which you want them played, and do not reuse a sub-class name. A duplicate name has been reported to make a server disappear from the browser; that report is anecdotal, but unique names are required for an unambiguous configuration.

Before editing the server

Have administrative access

You need access to the dedicated server installation and permission to edit its configuration. On a rented server, this may be an FTP/SFTP account, a control-panel file editor, or a mounted game-server directory. Stop the server before making changes so that it cannot overwrite the file while you are editing it.

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Collect the mission files

For every mission you want to rotate, obtain its compiled mission file with the .pbo extension. The file name is the value used by template, except that the extension is omitted. For example, MyOps.Altis.pbo must be referenced as "MyOps.Altis".

Back up the current configuration

Make a copy of the existing server.cfg before changing it. Preserve the original filename and encoding, and keep a second copy of the edited file outside the server directory. A single missing brace or semicolon can prevent the configuration from parsing.

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Build the class Missions block

Add the following structure to server.cfg. The names Mission01 and Mission02 are labels only; you can choose other names, provided each one is unique.

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class Missions
{
    class Mission01
    {
        template = "MyOps.Altis";
        difficulty = "Veteran";
        class Params {};
    };
    class Mission02
    {
        template = "MyOps.Tanoa";
        difficulty = "Custom";
        class Params
        {
            day_length = 10800;
        };
    };
};

Understand each line

  • class Missions opens the mission-cycle definition.
  • class Mission01 and class Mission02 identify individual entries. Give every entry a different name.
  • template is the mission PBO filename without .pbo. Spelling, punctuation, map suffix, and capitalization must match the file that is actually in mpmissions.
  • difficulty selects the difficulty setting for that mission entry. The accepted labels are discussed below because published references do not agree on a single list.
  • class Params {} is an empty parameter block. Keep it when the mission has no custom parameters, or replace it with the mission’s actual parameter names and values.

Do not lose the punctuation

There is a semicolon after each mission sub-class’s closing brace and after the closing brace of class Missions. Assignment lines also end in semicolons. In practice, the safest editing pattern is to copy a complete, balanced entry and change only its name, template, difficulty, and parameters.

Put the PBO files in the mission directory

Upload every referenced mission PBO to the server’s mpmissions folder. The folder must be the one used by the running dedicated-server installation, not a local client’s mission cache or a workshop download directory. If a hosting panel presents a file tree rather than the physical installation path, use the panel’s directory that it identifies as mpmissions.

Check the final names before starting the server. If the configuration says "MyOps.Altis", the server should contain MyOps.Altis.pbo in that directory. A mismatch such as MyOps_Altis.pbo, an extra extension, or a PBO nested in another folder will leave the template unavailable.

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Start with a one-mission test

A single-entry cycle isolates file and syntax problems before several missions make the log difficult to interpret. Temporarily use a minimal block such as:

class Missions
{
    class Mission01
    {
        template = "MyOps.Altis";
        difficulty = "Veteran";
        class Params {};
    };
};
  1. Stop the dedicated server.
  2. Back up server.cfg.
  3. Insert or replace the class Missions block.
  4. Confirm that MyOps.Altis.pbo is directly inside mpmissions.
  5. Save the file and check that every brace and semicolon is present.
  6. Start the server and watch its startup log for configuration or mission-loading errors.
  7. Connect with one player and verify that the mission can start and finish.

Only after this test works should you add the next entry. If the first mission does not load, adding more entries obscures the original fault.

Add a multi-mission rotation

When the test mission works, add entries one at a time in the desired order. For example:

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class Missions
{
    class Mission01
    {
        template = "MyOps.Altis";
        difficulty = "Veteran";
        class Params {};
    };
    class Mission02
    {
        template = "MyOps.Tanoa";
        difficulty = "Custom";
        class Params
        {
            day_length = 10800;
        };
    };
    class Mission03
    {
        template = "MyOps.Malden";
        difficulty = "Regular";
        class Params {};
    };
};

Use a table or a written checklist while assembling the rotation so that every configuration entry has a corresponding file:

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Cycle entry Template value Required file Difficulty value Parameters
Mission01 MyOps.Altis MyOps.Altis.pbo Veteran None
Mission02 MyOps.Tanoa MyOps.Tanoa.pbo Custom day_length = 10800;
Mission03 MyOps.Malden MyOps.Malden.pbo Regular None

The example values illustrate the syntax; they do not provide universal difficulty or parameter settings for every mission. Replace them with values supported by your server build and by each mission’s own definition.

Set mission parameters correctly

Mission parameters are not a universal Arma 3 list. They are defined by the individual mission. One community example places values such as dawn_length = 600; and day_length = 10800; inside the mission’s class Params block, but those names apply only when that mission defines them.

Find the names a mission accepts

  1. Look inside the mission PBO for the text class Params.
  2. If the PBO is packed, unpack it with a PBO utility and inspect description.ext.
  3. Copy the parameter class names and the syntax used by that mission.
  4. Place the assignments inside the matching cycle entry’s class Params block.
  5. Repack the mission only if you unpacked and changed its contents; otherwise leave the original PBO intact.

Do not copy a parameter from one mission into another unless the second mission defines the same parameter. Unknown names may be ignored or may produce a mission-specific error, depending on how the mission handles its parameter list.

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Choose a difficulty value carefully

Published Arma 3 server references do not agree on the complete set of difficulty labels. One reference lists Recruit, Regular, Veteran, and Mercenary, while another lists Recruit, Regular, Veteran, and Custom. Other references discuss CfgDifficultyPresets, which mods can extend. Because these lists conflict, confirm the exact values supported by the current Bohemia Interactive server documentation and your installed build before deploying a rotation.

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Label reported in guides What can be stated safely
Recruit Reported as a built-in difficulty label.
Regular Reported as a built-in difficulty label.
Veteran Reported as a built-in difficulty label and used in common examples.
Custom Reported by some references; custom presets are read from the user profile in those references.
Mercenary Appears in another difficulty list; availability should be verified rather than assumed.

A Custom entry depends on a profile-side definition. The profile is commonly identified by the server user name and uses an .Arma3Profile file, but the exact profile and preset names must match the configuration used by the running server. If a custom entry fails, test the same mission with a confirmed built-in value first; that separates a profile problem from a mission or PBO problem.

How the rotation is expected to advance

Server guides describe the following behavior: the server selects a mission when at least one player is connected, advances to the next configured entry after a mission ends while players remain, and loops through the list. Those behaviors should be treated as guide-reported rather than guaranteed across every dedicated-server version or mission framework.

A mission also needs a valid ending for the server to advance. If a mission never reaches an ending state, the server can remain in that mission even though later entries are configured correctly. After a server restart, guides report that the cycle starts again from the beginning.

Apply changes and verify the result

  1. Stop the server cleanly.
  2. Compare every template value with the corresponding filename in mpmissions.
  3. Check that all mission sub-class names are unique.
  4. Check matching opening and closing braces, semicolons, quotation marks, and the final semicolon after class Missions.
  5. Save server.cfg in the server’s actual configuration directory.
  6. Start the server and review the startup log.
  7. Join with one player and confirm that the first mission loads.
  8. End the mission normally and observe whether the next configured entry is selected while a player remains connected.
  9. Repeat the test after a restart if you need to verify the reported loop-from-the-start behavior.

Keep the working one-mission configuration until the multi-mission cycle has been tested. If a new entry breaks startup, remove only that entry and retest rather than rewriting the whole block.

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Troubleshoot the common failures

Symptom Likely cause Correction
The server does not start or reports a configuration parse error. Unbalanced braces, a missing semicolon, or malformed quotation marks. Restore the backup, then add the block again from a known-balanced example. Check every closing brace and semicolon.
The mission is not available. The template value does not exactly match the PBO name, or the PBO is not in mpmissions. Remove .pbo from the configuration value only, keep it on the file, and move the file directly into the server’s mission directory.
The browser cannot find the server after adding entries. A duplicate mission sub-class name has been reported as one possible cause. Rename every entry uniquely, restart the server, and check the startup log. Also verify that the configuration file being edited is the one the server actually loads.
A Custom difficulty entry fails. The profile-side custom preset is absent, misspelled, or defined for a different server profile. Use a confirmed built-in difficulty to test the mission, then verify the profile and custom preset definition before trying Custom again.
The server remains on one mission. The mission did not reach a valid ending, or no player remained connected for the reported transition behavior. Complete the mission through its normal ending and observe the cycle with a player connected. Test the mission itself before diagnosing the rotation.
A parameter has no effect. The name is not defined by that mission, or it is placed outside the entry’s class Params. Inspect the mission’s description.ext, copy its exact parameter name, and place the assignment inside the correct mission entry.

Production checklist

  • The cycle is inside server.cfg under class Missions.
  • Every mission entry has a unique sub-class name.
  • Every template matches a PBO in mpmissions, with the extension omitted in the configuration.
  • Every difficulty label has been checked against the current server documentation and, for Custom, the active profile.
  • Mission-specific parameters were copied from that mission’s own definition.
  • Braces, quotation marks, and semicolons are balanced.
  • The server was stopped before editing and restarted afterward.
  • A one-mission test succeeded before the full rotation was installed.
  • The first mission starts with a player connected and reaches a valid ending before you judge cycle advancement.

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