BattlEye Configuration for Arma Reforger Servers: Anti-Cheat Setup

BattlEye anti-cheat is essential for maintaining fair gameplay on your Arma Reforger server. This comprehensive guide covers setup, whitelist management, and troubleshooting to keep your Arma Reforger server secure and cheat-free.

Understanding BattlEye for Arma Reforger

BattlEye is an industry-leading anti-cheat system used by Arma Reforger and many other multiplayer games.

What is BattlEye?

BattlEye is a proactive anti-cheat protection system that:

• Detects and prevents cheating in real-time
• Monitors client-side game files for tampering
• Blocks known cheating tools and methods
• Provides server-side integrity checks
• Updates automatically to combat new exploits

Why BattlEye Matters for Arma Reforger

Without BattlEye on your Arma Reforger server:

• Cheaters can use aim bots, wallhacks, and ESP
• Player experience degrades quickly
• Legitimate players leave for protected servers
• Server reputation suffers
• Unfair gameplay ruins community

With BattlEye enabled:

• ✅ Automatic cheat detection and prevention
• ✅ Fair gameplay for all players
• ✅ Better player retention
• ✅ Community trust and reputation
• ✅ Cross-platform support (required for PS5)

BattlEye Requirements

Mandatory for:

• PlayStation 5 cross-platform servers (Sony policy requirement)
• Servers listed in official browser (recommended)
• Competitive/tournament servers
• High-population public servers

Optional for:

• Private LAN servers
• Development/testing environments
• Closed community servers (at your discretion)

Enabling BattlEye in Arma Reforger Config

BattlEye is configured through your Arma Reforger server's config.json file.

Basic BattlEye Configuration

Add BattlEye setting to the gameProperties section:

{
  "bindPort": 2001,
  "publicPort": 2001,
  "game": {
    "name": "My Arma Reforger Server",
    "scenarioId": "{ECC61978EDCC2B5A}Missions/23_Campaign.conf",
    "maxPlayers": 32,
    "gameProperties": {
      "battlEye": true
    }
  }
}

That's it! Setting battlEye: true enables anti-cheat protection.

Disabling BattlEye (Not Recommended)

For private testing servers only:

{
  "game": {
    "gameProperties": {
      "battlEye": false
    }
  }
}

Warning: Disabling BattlEye:

• ❌ Allows cheaters to join freely
• ❌ Prevents PS5 players from connecting
• ❌ May prevent server browser listing
• ❌ Damages server reputation

Only disable for:

• Local development/testing
• Closed LAN parties
• Debug sessions

Cross-Platform Servers (PS5)

BattlEye is REQUIRED for Arma Reforger servers supporting PlayStation 5:

{
  "game": {
    "crossPlatform": true,
    "gameProperties": {
      "battlEye": true  // MUST be enabled for PS5
    }
  }
}

Without BattlEye, PS5 players cannot connect to your Arma Reforger server.

See our PS5 Cross-Platform Guide for more details.

Verifying BattlEye is Active

Check Arma Reforger server logs:

grep -i "battleye" ServerProfile/logs/console_*.log

You should see:

[INFO] BattlEye initialized successfully
[INFO] BattlEye protection active

In-game verification:

1. Join your Arma Reforger server
2. Look for BattlEye logo on loading screen
3. Check for "Protected by BattlEye" indicator

BattlEye File Whitelist

Some Arma Reforger mods may be falsely detected by BattlEye and require whitelisting.

When Whitelisting is Needed

Symptoms of false positive:

• Mod files deleted on server start
• Players kicked with "BattlEye: Client not responding"
• Specific mod scripts flagged as suspicious
• Custom content blocked

Common scenarios:

• Custom script mods
• Modified game files
• Third-party admin tools
• Development mods

Creating BattlEye Whitelist

BattlEye whitelist location:

ServerProfile/BattlEye/BEServer.cfg

Create file (if it doesn't exist):

mkdir -p ServerProfile/BattlEye
touch ServerProfile/BattlEye/BEServer.cfg

Whitelist Syntax

Basic format:

// Allow specific file
1 "FileName.c"

// Allow directory
1 "Addons/ModName/*"

// Allow by pattern
1 "*.txt"

Example whitelist:

// Whitelist custom admin mod
1 "Addons/AdminToolsMod/Scripts/*.c"

// Whitelist configuration files
1 "Configs/*.json"
1 "Configs/*.xml"

// Whitelist specific DLLs (use cautiously)
// 1 "CustomMod.dll"

Security warning: Only whitelist files you trust! Whitelisting malicious files exposes your Arma Reforger server.

Whitelist Best Practices

1. Minimize whitelisting - only add when absolutely necessary
2. Be specific - avoid wildcards when possible
3. Document entries - comment why each file is whitelisted
4. Verify source - only whitelist trusted mods/tools
5. Review regularly - remove unused whitelist entries

BattlEye Kick Messages

BattlEye provides specific kick messages to help diagnose issues.

Common BattlEye Kick Reasons

"BattlEye: Client not responding"

• Cause: Client's BattlEye not running or crashed
• Solution: Player needs to restart Arma Reforger
• Server action: None needed (client-side issue)

"BattlEye: Failed to initialize"

• Cause: Player's game files corrupted or BattlEye install failed
• Solution: Verify Arma Reforger game files via Steam
• Server action: None needed

"BattlEye: Query Timeout"

• Cause: Network connectivity issues or high latency
• Solution: Check player's internet connection
• Server action: Verify server network stability

"BattlEye: Corrupted Data"

• Cause: Modified game files or cheat attempt
• Solution: Verify game files or reinstall Arma Reforger
• Server action: May indicate actual cheating attempt

"BattlEye: Global Ban"

• Cause: Player has BattlEye global ban from cheating
• Solution: Ban is permanent across all BattlEye games
• Server action: Ban is automatic, no action needed

Handling False Positives

If legitimate players are kicked:

1. Check BattlEye logs: ServerProfile/BattlEye/BEServer.log
2. Identify flagged file: Look for specific file path
3. Verify file legitimacy: Ensure it's from trusted mod
4. Add to whitelist: If confirmed safe
5. Restart server: Changes take effect

Example log entry:

[INFO] Kicked: PlayerName - Reason: Disallowed file "CustomMod/Script.c"

Whitelist the file:

1 "CustomMod/Script.c"

Arma Reforger Server Logs and Monitoring

Monitor BattlEye activity to ensure protection is working.

BattlEye Log Locations

Main BattlEye log:

ServerProfile/BattlEye/BEServer.log

Arma Reforger server console log:

ServerProfile/logs/console_TIMESTAMP.log

What to Monitor

Daily monitoring:

• Kick/ban counts (high numbers may indicate attack)
• "Disallowed file" warnings (may need whitelisting)
• BattlEye initialization success

Weekly monitoring:

• Review global ban attempts
• Check for new kick patterns
• Update whitelist if needed

Automated Monitoring Script

monitor-battleye.sh (Linux):

#!/bin/bash
LOG_FILE="ServerProfile/BattlEye/BEServer.log"
ALERT_EMAIL="admin@example.com"

# Count kicks in last hour
KICKS=$(tail -1000 "$LOG_FILE" | grep "Kicked" | wc -l)

if [ $KICKS -gt 10 ]; then
  echo "Warning: $KICKS BattlEye kicks in last hour" | mail -s "BattlEye Alert" $ALERT_EMAIL
fi

Schedule with cron (hourly check):

0 * * * * /path/to/monitor-battleye.sh

Troubleshooting BattlEye

Issue 1: Arma Reforger Server Won't Start with BattlEye

Symptoms:

• Server crashes on startup
• "BattlEye initialization failed" in logs
• Server starts with battlEye: false but not true

Solutions:

1. Verify BattlEye files exist:

   ls -la ServerProfile/BattlEye/
   

   Should contain: BEServer.dll (Windows) or BEServer.so (Linux)

2. Reinstall Arma Reforger server files:

   # Via SteamCMD
   steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1874900 validate +quit
   

3. Check file permissions (Linux):

   chmod +x ServerProfile/BattlEye/BEServer.so
   

4. Review server logs for specific error:

   tail -100 ServerProfile/logs/console_*.log
   

Issue 2: Players Kicked Immediately on Join

Symptoms:

• All players kicked within seconds
• "Client not responding" messages
• Only affects some players

Solutions:

1. Verify client has BattlEye:

   • Players must have BattlEye installed
   • Verify Arma Reforger game files via Steam

2. Check mod compatibility:

   • Some mods conflict with BattlEye
   • Test server without mods
   • Add mods back one at a time

3. Review whitelist:

   • May need to whitelist mod files
   • Check BattlEye logs for "Disallowed file"

4. Update server:

   • Ensure latest Arma Reforger server version
   • BattlEye updates with game updates

Issue 3: PS5 Players Can't Connect to Arma Reforger Server

Symptoms:

• PC players connect fine
• PS5 players timeout or disconnect
• Cross-platform enabled but not working

Solutions:

1. Verify BattlEye is enabled:

   {
     "game": {
       "gameProperties": {
         "battlEye": true  // Must be true for PS5
       }
     }
   }
   

2. Check cross-platform config:

   {
     "game": {
       "crossPlatform": true
     }
   }
   

3. Verify mods are PS5-compatible:

   • Not all PC mods work on PS5
   • Test with vanilla server first
   • See PS5 Cross-Platform Guide

Issue 4: BattlEye Global Bans

Symptoms:

• Player cannot join any BattlEye-protected servers
• "Global Ban" kick message
• Affects multiple games

Important: BattlEye global bans are permanent and cannot be removed by server admins.

If player claims false ban:

• Direct them to BattlEye support: https://www.battleye.com/support/
• Server admins CANNOT override global bans
• Only BattlEye can review and remove false bans (extremely rare)

Performance Impact

BattlEye has minimal performance impact on Arma Reforger servers.

Expected Overhead

CPU usage: +1-2% RAM usage: +50-100 MB Network: +0.1-0.5 KB/s per player FPS impact: Negligible (< 1 FPS)

BattlEye is highly optimized and should not noticeably affect your Arma Reforger server performance.

Optimization Tips

1. Keep BattlEye updated - Updates improve performance
2. Minimize whitelist - Larger whitelists = more checking
3. Monitor logs - Excessive kicks may indicate issues
4. Regular maintenance - Clean old BattlEye logs

BattlEye Best Practices

1. Always Enable for Public Servers

Recommendation: Enable BattlEye on all public Arma Reforger servers.

Benefits:

• ✅ Fair gameplay
• ✅ Better player retention
• ✅ Community reputation
• ✅ PS5 compatibility

2. Don't Disable "Just Because"

Common mistake: Disabling BattlEye to "improve performance"

Reality: Performance impact is negligible, but cheater impact is massive.

3. Keep Server Updated

BattlEye updates are included in Arma Reforger server updates.

Update regularly:

# Via SteamCMD
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1874900 +quit

4. Document Whitelist Changes

Good whitelist management:

// Added 2025-11-06 - AdminTools mod v1.2
1 "Addons/AdminTools/Scripts/*.c"

// Added 2025-11-08 - Custom UI mod for events
1 "Addons/CustomUI/Textures/*"

5. Monitor and Respond

Weekly review:

• Check kick counts
• Review flagged files
• Update whitelist as needed
• Investigate unusual patterns

6. Educate Players

Server MOTD/rules:

This server is protected by BattlEye anti-cheat.
- Cheating will result in permanent ban
- Modify game files at your own risk
- Report suspected cheaters to admins

7. Trust BattlEye

Don't second-guess global bans:

• BattlEye rarely false-positives on bans
• Trust the system
• Focus on managing your Arma Reforger server

Configuration Examples

Example 1: Maximum Security Arma Reforger Server

{
  "bindPort": 2001,
  "publicPort": 2001,
  "game": {
    "name": "[BattlEye] Competitive Arma Reforger Server",
    "scenarioId": "{ECC61978EDCC2B5A}Missions/23_Campaign.conf",
    "maxPlayers": 32,
    "crossPlatform": true,
    "gameProperties": {
      "battlEye": true,
      "fastValidation": false
    }
  }
}

Example 2: Vanilla Arma Reforger Server (No Mods)

{
  "game": {
    "name": "Vanilla Arma Reforger - BattlEye Protected",
    "gameProperties": {
      "battlEye": true
    },
    "mods": []
  }
}

Example 3: Development Server (BattlEye Disabled)

{
  "game": {
    "name": "[TEST] Development Server - Private",
    "visible": false,
    "gameProperties": {
      "battlEye": false
    }
  }
}

Helpful Resources

• Arma Reforger Server Setup Guide
• PS5 Cross-Platform Setup
• Config Troubleshooting
• Config Generator
• Official BattlEye
• BattlEye Support

Last Updated: November 2025

Want a fully managed Arma Reforger server with BattlEye pre-configured? Get Arma Reforger servers at xGaming Server with 30% OFF your first month!

Ready to secure your server? Generate your BattlEye-enabled config now!