Enabling and Configuring Headless Clients on an Arma 3 Server

Headless Clients (HCs) allow you to offload AI processing from the main server to a separate client, improving performance and reducing lag on large-scale missions. This is especially useful for PvE, MILSIM, and custom mission servers that rely heavily on AI units.

This guide will walk you through enabling headless clients, configuring server settings, and verifying connections using VolticHost Game Panel.

📌 Prerequisites

• An Arma 3 server purchased at VolticHost.com

• Access to VolticHost Game Panel

• (Optional) A second game server or PC to run the Headless Client

1️⃣ Enabling Headless Clients on Your Server

1. Log in to VolticHost Game Panel.

2. Click on your Arma 3 server.

3. Navigate to the File Manager tab.

4. Open:

   /A3Server/config/server.cfg
   

5. Add or modify these lines to enable Headless Client support:

   headlessClients[] = {"127.0.0.1"};  
   localClient[] = {"127.0.0.1"};  
   battleyeLicense = 1;
   

6. Click Save File.

✅ Your server is now set to allow Headless Clients!

2️⃣ Assigning AI to the Headless Client in Missions

To offload AI to a Headless Client, the mission file (.pbo) must support it.

1. Open your mission’s .pbo file using a PBO Manager.

2. Find or add the init.sqf file inside the mission folder.

3. Add the following script to move AI to the Headless Client:

   if (!isServer && !hasInterface) then {
       while {true} do {
           _units = allGroups select {side _x == east || side _x == west};
           {
               if (!isNull _x) then {
                   [_x] joinSilent (group HC_Unit);
               };
           } forEach _units;
           sleep 10;
       };
   };
   

4. Save and repackage the .pbo file.

5. Upload the updated mission file to:

   /mpmissions/
   

6. Open the server.cfg file and ensure the mission is set correctly.

✅ AI units will now be offloaded to the Headless Client!

3️⃣ Running a Headless Client on Your Server

1. Navigate to Startup Settings in VolticHost Game Panel.

2. Locate the Additional Arguments section.

3. Add the following parameter to launch a Headless Client:

   -client -connect=127.0.0.1 -port=2302 -password=yourpassword -mod=
   

4. Click Save Changes.

✅ Your Headless Client will now connect when the server starts!

4️⃣ Verifying the Headless Client is Running

1. Open the Console tab in VolticHost Game Panel.

2. Look for a log entry similar to:

   16:24:15 Dedicated client "HC_Unit" connected (127.0.0.1:2302).
   

3. If the Headless Client does not connect, restart the server and check logs for errors.

✅ Your Headless Client is now running and handling AI tasks!

5️⃣ Restarting the Server to Apply Changes

1. Navigate to the Console tab in VolticHost Game Panel.

2. Click Stop to shut down the server.

3. Wait a few seconds, then click Start to launch the updated server.

✅ Your Arma 3 server is now optimized with Headless Clients!

🎉 Conclusion

You've successfully enabled and configured a Headless Client, assigned AI units, and optimized performance using VolticHost Game Panel! This will reduce server lag, improve AI responsiveness, and create a smoother gameplay experience for large-scale missions. 🚀

For more assistance, contact VolticHost Support.