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An Arma 3 headless client (HC) is a separate Arma 3 client process that joins your dedicated server and runs eligible AI away from the server process. A reliable setup requires four things: an allow-listed source IP, an isolated HC profile, the same game and mission mods as the server, and a mission with at least one playable headless-client slot.
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What an Arma 3 headless client does
A headless client is not a server plug-in or a setting that automatically moves every AI unit. It is another Arma 3 client process launched with -client. The process connects to the dedicated server with -connect and -password, receives a free HC slot in the mission, and can then become local to AI groups that the mission assigns to it.
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The performance benefit is mission-dependent. AI locality, scripting, hardware, and network design determine whether an HC helps. There is no authoritative universal percentage for CPU savings and no generally correct HC count. A mission built for one HC may gain nothing from starting three, while a framework designed for several clients can use more than one if enough playable HC slots exist.
Think of the HC as a normal networked Arma process with a special role. It still has to authenticate, load compatible content, obtain a mission slot, and obey the server’s security policy. The HC does not bypass the server’s password, BattlEye, signatures, or mod validation.
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Prerequisites and network layout
- A working Arma 3 dedicated server with its normal mission and mod set already tested without an HC.
- The server password, game port, and the address that the HC will use to connect.
- A separate HC process, either on the server machine or on another host.
- A mission containing at least one playable headless-client unit. Add more slots only when the mission framework supports multiple HCs.
- The same Arma 3 build, required game mods, load order, signatures, and BattlEye policy on the HC and server.
- A writable profile directory for the account that runs the HC.
When the HC runs on the same machine as the server, the server normally sees the loopback address, so 127.0.0.1 is the starting point for the allow-list. On a separate machine, use that host’s real source address. In a container, allow-list the egress address visible to the server, not merely the container’s internal address.
Decide where the process will run before writing the command. A same-host HC avoids an extra network route but competes with the server for CPU, memory, disk, and sometimes process limits. A remote HC requires routing and firewall access to the game port, while a container adds port-publishing and persistent-volume concerns. In every layout, the decisive address is the source address recorded by the server, not an address chosen from the HC host’s internal network diagram.
1. Prepare and start the dedicated server
Confirm the server works without an HC
Install or update the dedicated-server files, start the server with its ordinary configuration, and verify that the target mission loads with its complete mod set. Fix mission, port, password, or signature problems before introducing a second process.
# Linux
./arma3server -config=server.cfg
# Windows
arma3server.exe -config=server.cfgThe executable name can differ in a service wrapper, but the server must still use the configuration file that contains the HC allow-list and the mission’s security settings. Starting from a known-good server makes later RPT errors much easier to attribute.
Add every HC source address to server.cfg
headlessClients[] = {"127.0.0.1"};
localClient[] = {"127.0.0.1"};Replace the sample address with the address from which the server actually receives the HC connection. If you run HCs from several hosts, include each source address in headlessClients[]. The server must allow-list every HC; a client that is not listed can fail authentication even when the password is correct.
localClient[] is a separate server-configuration mechanism for treating trusted local clients. It is commonly set alongside the HC address when the HC is local. The server configuration reference also uses the local-client setting in the file-patching rule, where value 1 permits the relevant HC behavior. Keep that rule aligned with your normal security policy rather than enabling broad file patching for troubleshooting.
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Do not assume that a private, container, or NAT address is the one the server sees. If the HC is behind translation, inspect the server’s connection information and place that observed source address in headlessClients[]. Repeat the check after changing network mode, host, or container runtime, because the apparent source can change.
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Keep security checks enabled while diagnosing
If BattlEye is enabled, the HC profile must accept its license with battleyeLicense=1. Keep the server’s normal BattlEye and signature settings. Disabling anti-cheat or signature checks is not a first-line fix: an incorrect allow-list, profile, password, port, game build, or mod set is more likely to be the cause.
2. Create an isolated HC profile
Do not let the HC share the profile used by the dedicated server or an administrator’s regular client. Give each HC a distinct name and profile directory so its RPT output, BattlEye files, generated settings, and logs cannot collide with another process.
-name=HC1 -profiles=/path/to/hc-profilesThe -name switch selects the profile name. -profiles sets the parent directory for profiles. Some Windows and community launch examples use a profile-style form such as -name=HC -profile=HC; the important requirement is explicit, writable isolation. Use the syntax supported by the executable or launcher you are running.
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- On Windows, quote a path containing spaces, for example
-profiles="C:Arma3HCProfiles". - Place
battleyeLicense=1in the HC profile when BattlEye is enabled. - Keep the HC’s RPT and BattlEye logs separate from the dedicated server’s logs.
Use a different profile name for every simultaneous HC, such as HC1, HC2, and HC3. Reusing one profile can mix logs and settings, making it difficult to tell which process failed. It can also create write conflicts when two processes start together. Preserve the profile directory when using containers so logs remain available after a replacement.
3. Make the mission HC-compatible
Add a playable HC slot
The mission must contain at least one playable unit designated for a headless client. When the process joins, Arma 3 automatically assigns it to a free HC slot. If no such slot is available, the process may reach the server but cannot enter the mission as an HC.
For multiple HCs, the mission needs enough free HC slots and a framework that supports the number you intend to launch. A mission that has only one slot cannot make a second HC useful. Verify the slot in the actual mission version you load, not only in an editor template; a different scenario or exported mission can omit it.
Enable AI transfer in the mission framework
Connecting is only the first half of the setup. Frameworks differ in how they detect an HC and transfer AI groups to it. Enable the framework’s documented HC module or option, or use the mission’s locality scripts to assign groups. The engine does not automatically move every AI group simply because an HC is connected.
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AI ownership can also be conditional. A framework may wait for the HC to finish initialization, assign only selected group types, or reclaim groups when the HC disconnects. Read the mission’s HC settings and watch its locality diagnostics before judging performance. A connected HC with no assigned groups is a mission configuration issue, not proof that the launch command is invalid.
4. Launch the headless client
Run the HC as a second process using the server executable (or the full game executable where your installation requires it). Supply the server address, port, password, isolated profile, and the mission’s required mods.
Minimal Linux command
./arma3server -client
-connect=SERVER_IP
-port=SERVER_PORT
-password=SERVER_PASSWORD
-name=HC1
-profiles=/path/to/hc-profiles
-nosoundMinimal Windows command
arma3server.exe -client -connect=SERVER_IP -port=SERVER_PORT -password=SERVER_PASSWORD -name=HC1 -profiles="C:Arma3HCProfiles" -nosoundUse the server’s actual address and password. Include -port when the server is not using its default game port. Add the exact mod list and order required by the mission, for example:
-mod=@CoreMod;@MissionModDo not treat that example as a universal mod list; replace it with the server’s real set. The HC must load the same game and mission mods, and those mods must satisfy the server’s signature policy.
Start the server first and wait until it is listening before starting the HC. A service manager can enforce that order; a manually launched process may otherwise report a misleading connection or timeout error. Keep the command line consistent with the server’s actual port and password, including capitalization and punctuation.
Useful launch switches
| Switch | Purpose | Requirement or caution |
|---|---|---|
-client |
Starts the process as a headless client. | Without it, the process is not an HC connection. |
-connect=SERVER_IP |
Specifies the dedicated server address. | Use the address reachable from the HC host. |
-port=SERVER_PORT |
Specifies the server’s game port. | Match the port configured on the server, especially when it is non-default. |
-password=SERVER_PASSWORD |
Supplies the server password. | A wrong or stale password causes authentication failure. |
-name=HC1 |
Selects the HC profile name. | Use a unique name for each simultaneous HC. |
-profiles=PATH |
Sets the profile parent directory. | Ensure the path exists and is writable; quote Windows paths with spaces. |
-mod=... |
Loads the mission’s required mods. | Match the server’s set, order, signatures, and build. |
-nosound |
Suppresses audio for a background process. | It does not replace any connection or mission parameter. |
Running more than one HC
The official headless-client documentation states that an arbitrary number of HCs can run on one machine. That is a capability, not a performance recommendation. Each process needs its own profile name and should have a clear mission slot. Start with one HC, verify that the mission transfers AI correctly, and add another only when the mission, CPU capacity, memory, and network can support it.
For separate hosts, repeat the allow-list and profile steps for every source address. For containers, publish the required game port and verify the server sees the container or host egress address you placed in headlessClients[]. If one HC works and a second does not, compare the second process’s profile, slot, source IP, and mod command rather than changing the working process.
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Automating an HC with a service manager
A service manager should run the HC independently from the main server, restart it when appropriate, and preserve access to its RPT and BattlEye logs. LinuxGSM’s documented pattern uses a separate HC service with parameters equivalent to:
startparameters="-client -connect=${ip}:${port} -password=CHANGEME"Adapt that pattern to your deployment by adding the explicit profile path, HC name, -nosound, and the mission’s -mod= list. Store the password securely in the service configuration rather than publishing it in a world-readable script. Ensure the HC service starts after the game server is listening and stops cleanly with it.
For a managed host, confirm in advance that the provider permits a second client process and gives you control over server.cfg. You also need a way to synchronize mods and signatures, separate HC profiles, restart automation, and access to both RPT and BattlEye logs. These operational details matter as much as advertised server resources because an HC that cannot be updated or diagnosed is difficult to maintain.
5. Verify that the HC is doing useful work
- Start the dedicated server and wait until it is listening on the configured game port.
- Start the HC with the matching address, port, password, profile, and mod set.
- Watch the server and HC RPT logs for the connection and mission join.
- Confirm that the HC appears as connected and occupies the intended playable HC slot.
- Check the mission framework’s HC detection and locality output.
- Observe whether the expected AI groups become local to the HC; a connected process that owns no AI is not providing the intended workload distribution.
RPT and BattlEye logs are especially useful because they distinguish a network or authentication failure from a mission-locality problem. Keep the server and HC logs separate so timestamps and errors can be attributed to the correct process. Test during the actual mission phase that matters: an HC can join successfully while a later framework initialization or AI-transfer step still fails.
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| Symptom | Checks to perform | Likely correction |
|---|---|---|
| Steam or authentication failure | Compare the HC address, port, and password with the server; verify the source address is in headlessClients[]; inspect the HC profile for battleyeLicense=1. |
Correct the connection values, allow-list the address the server actually sees, and accept BattlEye in the isolated profile. |
| HC connects and is then kicked | Compare the HC and server game builds, -mod= lists, load order, signatures, duplicate-client rules, and BattlEye policy. |
Synchronize the build and mods, then keep security checks enabled while fixing the mismatch. |
| No HC slot is available | Inspect the mission for a playable headless-client unit and check that it supports the number of HCs being launched. | Add or configure the required HC slot(s) and use a compatible mission framework. |
| Profile not found or logs cannot be written | Check -name, -profiles (or the launcher’s profile option), path quoting, directory existence, and Linux ownership or permissions. |
Use explicit, unique, writable profile paths for each HC. |
| HC is connected but AI remains server-local | Inspect the mission’s HC detection, locality scripts, and framework settings. | Enable the framework’s HC module or configure its documented AI-transfer logic; the launch command alone cannot move every group. |
| Works locally but not from another host or container | Test the published game port and identify the source address visible in server logs or network rules. | Allow-list the real host or container egress IP and correct routing or port exposure. |
Change one variable at a time. First test with the server’s known-good mod set and one HC, then add mission options or additional processes. If authentication fails before the mission loads, focus on address, port, password, allow-list, profile, and BattlEye. If the mission loads but AI is not transferred, stop changing network settings and inspect the framework’s locality logic.
Same machine versus separate machine
| Deployment | Configuration focus | Typical failure point |
|---|---|---|
| HC and server on one host | Use a separate process and profile; allow-list the loopback source address when that is what the server sees. | Profile collisions, insufficient CPU or memory, or a mission with no HC slot. |
| HC on another host | Use the HC host’s real source IP in headlessClients[]; open and route the game port; synchronize builds and mods. |
Wrong allow-listed address, firewall or routing errors, and mod or signature mismatch. |
| HC in a container | Expose the game port and allow-list the container or host egress IP observed by the server; keep the profile volume writable. | Allow-listing an internal container address that never appears as the connection source, or losing logs when the container is replaced. |
There is no universally superior placement. The right choice depends on the mission’s scripting load, available hardware, and network design. A remote process is not automatically faster, and a same-host process is not automatically cheaper or more reliable; measure the mission behavior and retain the logs needed to diagnose it.
Operational checklist
- The server starts with the intended
server.cfg. - Every HC source address is present in
headlessClients[]. localClient[]reflects the trusted local-client design.- Each HC has a unique, writable profile selected with
-nameand-profiles(or the equivalent supported profile option). - Each BattlEye-enabled profile contains
battleyeLicense=1. - The mission has a free playable HC slot for every process you start.
- The HC and server use the same game build, mod list, load order, signatures, and security policy.
- The launch command contains
-client, the correct-connectaddress, port, password, and required mods. - Server and HC RPT/BattlEye logs show a successful join.
- The mission framework actually transfers AI groups to the HC.
Bottom line
Set up the HC as a separately profiled client, not as an extra server parameter: allow-list its real source IP, launch it with -client -connect -port -password, mirror the mission’s mods and signatures, and provide a playable HC slot. If authentication fails, check the address, port, password, allow-list, profile, and BattlEye license first. If the HC connects but provides no relief, the remaining issue is usually mission-specific AI locality rather than the launch command.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes in headlessClients[]?
Add every source IP address from which an HC connects. Use the loopback address when the server actually sees a same-host HC as 127.0.0.1; use the remote host or container egress address when it connects elsewhere. The address must match what the server sees, not merely an internal container address.
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Why does my HC show a Steam or authentication failure?
Check the server IP, game port, password, and headlessClients[] entry first. Then confirm the HC has an isolated writable profile with battleyeLicense=1 when BattlEye is enabled. A wrong build, mod set, signature, or security policy can also cause a connection to be rejected or immediately kicked.
Can I run the HC on the same machine as the dedicated server?
Yes. The official documentation allows multiple HCs on one machine. Run the HC as a separate process, give it a unique profile, and allow-list the source address the server sees, commonly 127.0.0.1. The server and HC still compete for local CPU, memory, and other resources.
Does connecting an HC automatically move all AI to it?
No. The mission must provide a playable HC slot and its framework or locality scripts must assign AI groups. A successful connection proves only that the client authenticated and joined; inspect mission-specific HC settings and locality output to verify useful work.
How many headless clients should I run?
There is no universal recommended number or authoritative CPU-saving percentage. Start with one, verify AI transfer, and add processes only when the mission has enough HC slots and your hardware and network can support them. More processes do not guarantee better performance.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDo HCs need the same mods as the server?
Yes. Load the exact game and mission mods, in the required order, with the same build and signatures expected by the server. A missing, extra, or differently ordered mod commonly causes a kick or mission-loading failure.
Why can the HC connect but not find its profile or write logs?
Pass an explicit unique -name and -profiles path, ensure the directory exists, and make it writable by the service account. Quote Windows paths containing spaces. On Linux, check ownership and permissions. Keep each HC’s RPT and BattlEye files separate.
What should I check when a containerized HC works nowhere?
Publish and test the required game port, identify the egress address visible to the server, and place that address in headlessClients[]. Mount a writable persistent profile directory so logs and BattlEye settings survive container replacement. Also synchronize the container’s game build and mods with the server.
The Bottom Line
A dependable Arma 3 HC setup is a complete client deployment: allow-list the real source IP, isolate every profile, match the server’s build and mods, provide playable HC slots, and configure the mission’s AI-locality logic. Use RPT and BattlEye logs to separate authentication problems from mission problems.
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