Arma Reforger’s native administration is command-based. Authenticate in the in-game chat with #login, confirm your permissions with #roles, inspect connected users with #players, and then use commands such as #kick, #ban, #restart, or #shutdown. You can also administer a dedicated server through RCON, where admin access can change server state and monitor access is read-only.
The most important safety detail is identity: a session player number is temporary, while an identity ID belongs to the account. Refresh #players immediately before moderation, use a player number for a currently connected target, and use an identity ID when the player has already left. Built-in commands do not provide teleporting, weather, time changes, scenario switching, chat broadcasts, voting, or server locking; those functions require a compatible server-side mod.
What are Arma Reforger’s native server admin commands?
Native commands are entered through the game’s chat interface after an administrator session is authenticated. They cover authentication, role inspection, player lookup, kicking, bans, scenario restarts, and full server shutdowns. They do not form a general-purpose control panel: many quality-of-life and event-management features are outside the built-in command set.
Bohemia Interactive’s server-management documentation describes three administrator roles in the game: a player hosting from inside the game on PC, a logged-in administrator, and a voted-in administrator. A dedicated-server owner normally uses either the configured administrator password or an account listed in the server configuration.
How do I configure administrator access?
Dedicated-server authentication is controlled in the server configuration. The password accepted by #login is stored in game.passwordAdmin; the password field does not support spaces. The same configuration exposes game.admins, a list of IdentityIds and/or Steam IDs that can log in without entering a password.
Bohemia Interactive documents a limit of 20 unique IDs in game.admins. Keep the list limited to people who need direct authority, and treat the password as a server secret. An ID listed in game.admins can use the no-password login form, but still needs to establish a session in the game before issuing commands.
“Login as server administrator with the password set in server config’s field
passwordAdmin.” — Bohemia Interactive Community, Server Management – Arma Reforger
After changing the configuration, make sure the running server has loaded the new values before testing authentication. If a password containing a space was entered, replace it with a value the configuration accepts rather than trying alternate spacing in chat.
How do I log in and verify my role in game?
Use the chat input, not a console window, for native in-game commands. A reliable login sequence is:
- Join the server with the account that should receive administrator rights.
- Open the chat input and enter
#login <passwordAdmin>. An account listed ingame.adminscan use#loginwithout the password. - Run
#roles. The response shows the roles currently attached to that player session. - Run
#playersand identify the target by the current session player number, identity ID, and displayed name. - Perform only the required moderation or server-control action.
- When finished, run
#logoutto drop logged-in or voted-in administrator rights.
If #roles does not show the expected authority, do not assume a command will work. Check that the account is listed correctly, that the password matches game.passwordAdmin, and that the session is connected to the intended server.
Which native commands are available?
The following reference covers the built-in command set documented for server administration. Use the current player number from #players; do not reuse a number copied from an earlier session.
| Command | Syntax | Effect and cautions |
|---|---|---|
#login |
#login or #login <password> |
Authenticates with the configured administrator password. An ID listed in game.admins may use the no-password form. |
#logout |
#logout |
Removes logged-in or voted-in administrator rights from the session. |
#roles |
#roles |
Prints the roles held by the current player. |
#players |
#players |
Lists connected users, including a session player number, identity ID, and name according to the current guide. |
#kick |
#kick <playerId> |
Ejects a connected player. The player can still rejoin. |
#ban create |
#ban create <playerId or identityId> <durationInSeconds> <reason (optional)> |
Creates a timed or permanent ban. The duration is in seconds; 0 means permanent. The official documentation specifies this command for dedicated servers. |
#ban list |
#ban list <page (optional)> |
Displays current bans. A Reforger Ops guide updated October 2, 2026, for game version 1.8 reports 25 entries per RCON page; game and RCON page behavior can differ. |
#ban remove |
#ban remove <identityId> |
Removes the ban associated with an identity. |
#restart |
#restart |
Reloads the running scenario. The official documentation says connected clients remain connected. |
#shutdown |
#shutdown |
Stops the server and disconnects all clients. |
How do I kick a player safely?
A kick is an immediate, temporary removal. It does not create a ban, so the same player can reconnect when the server permits it.
- Run
#playersimmediately before acting. - Match the player’s name to the current session player number and, where possible, confirm the identity ID.
- Use
#kick <playerId>with that current player number. - Record the reason and identity ID in your moderation log if the incident may lead to a later ban.
“Kick (eject) the player out of the server through their playerId (obtained by players). Said player can still rejoin the server.” — Bohemia Interactive Community, Server Management – Arma Reforger
If the command fails after a delay, run #players again. A player may have disconnected, causing the old session number to become invalid.
How do I create, review, and remove a ban?
Use a ban when removing a player is not enough. The ban command accepts either the connected player’s current player number or a persistent identity ID, plus a duration in seconds and an optional reason.
Choose the duration precisely
Convert the policy period before entering it. For example, 10 minutes is 600 seconds, one hour is 3,600 seconds, and 24 hours is 86,400 seconds. Enter 0 only when the ban is intended to be permanent; that meaning is specified in the official command documentation.
Ban a connected player
- Refresh the roster with
#players. - Use the current player number in the
#ban createform, add the duration in seconds, and include a concise reason where your server policy requires one. - Review the result with
#ban list.
Ban a player who has left
A session player number is not a reliable offline identifier. If the target is no longer connected, use the identity ID shown by the earlier roster or moderation record in the #ban create form. This avoids waiting for the player to return and avoids acting on a number that may later belong to a different session.
Correct or appeal a ban
Use #ban list to locate the entry, verify the identity ID, and use #ban remove <identityId> when an appeal is accepted or an operator made an error. Keep the identity ID and the original reason in your records so a correction removes the intended entry rather than another account.
What is the difference between #restart and #shutdown?
#restart reloads the active scenario while leaving clients connected, making it the appropriate choice for a scenario refresh. #shutdown stops the server process and disconnects everyone, so it should be reserved for a deliberate stop or maintenance window.
| Command | What changes | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
#restart |
The running scenario is restarted; clients remain connected according to the official documentation. | Reloading the scenario without intentionally ending every client connection. |
#shutdown |
The server stops and all clients are disconnected. | Planned maintenance, a process stop, or an emergency where the entire server must go offline. |
“Shut down the server, disconnecting all the clients.” — Bohemia Interactive Community, Server Management – Arma Reforger
How does RCON administration differ from in-game commands?
RCON provides a remote access path for a dedicated server, separate from an in-game #login session. Its configuration defines two permission values:
admin: may perform any command, including state-changing actions.monitor: intended for commands that do not change server state, such as read-only monitoring.
The RCON configuration also supports rcon.blacklist and rcon.whitelist. A blacklist blocks specified commands. When a whitelist is defined, only the listed commands are allowed, so a command absent from that list is rejected even if the connection otherwise has permission.
| Administration path | Authentication and scope | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| In-game chat | #login with game.passwordAdmin, or an account in game.admins; roles are visible through #roles. |
Hands-on moderation while playing or directly observing the server. |
| RCON monitor | Remote credential with monitor permission; read-only commands should be allowed by the whitelist. |
Player counts, status displays, and monitoring bots. |
| RCON admin | Remote credential with admin permission, constrained further by blacklist or whitelist settings. |
Remote kicks, bans, scenario restarts, and shutdowns. |
Use separate credentials and the narrowest permission that fits the job. A player-count bot should not receive RCON administrator authority, while an operator who must kick, ban, restart, or shut down needs the administrative permission and corresponding command allowance.
Which features are not built into native Reforger commands?
The native command set does not provide commands for sending chat messages, locking or unlocking the server, voting, changing scenarios, teleporting players, changing the time of day, or changing weather. These functions require a server-side mod that extends the administration system.
One Workshop example, ArmedZ Admin Tools, advertises a staff panel and chat commands for players, spawning, teleportation, time, weather, bans, moderators, and audit logging. Its listing showed game version 1.8.0.13 and a last-modified date of October 26, 2026. Treat those features as mod-dependent: check the listing’s supported game version, permissions model, and update status before deploying a mod on a live server.
A mod can add commands, but it does not change the identity-safety rule. Continue to distinguish a transient player number from a persistent identity ID, and test administrative extensions on a non-public server before granting them to staff.
How should I distinguish player numbers from identity IDs?
#players reports both kinds of identifier. The session player number identifies the player’s current connection and can change between sessions. The identity ID is the persistent account identifier used to associate a ban with that account.
- Use the current player number for an immediate kick or a ban against someone who is connected right now.
- Use the identity ID when the player has disconnected, when reviewing a historical ban, or when removing a ban.
- Refresh the roster immediately before a moderation action so a stale player number cannot target the wrong session.
A Reforger Ops guide updated October 2, 2026, describes this distinction for game version 1.8. It is especially important for scripts or staff workflows that copy a number from an earlier roster and execute the action later.
Are community bans global across all Reforger servers?
Usually not. Bohemia Interactive states that most bans are issued by individual server administrators, so a community-server ban normally applies to that server or its operator’s network of servers.
BattlEye bans are different: they are global across BattlEye-protected servers. Do not describe a local administrator ban as a global platform ban, and do not assume that a server operator can remove a BattlEye-wide restriction.
For official servers, Bohemia Interactive’s support guidance lists in-game reporting, voting where enabled, and reports supported by evidence. Community servers handle their own rule enforcement and should publish a clear appeal or evidence process.
What should I check when a command fails?
#login is rejected
- Confirm that the server is using the intended
game.passwordAdminvalue. - Remove spaces from the configured password because the field does not support them.
- If the account should bypass the password, verify that its IdentityId or Steam ID is present in
game.adminsand that the 20-ID limit has not been exceeded. - Run
#rolesafter a successful login to confirm that the session actually received administrator rights.
#kick or a player-number ban targets nobody
Refresh #players and use the new session player number. A number copied from a previous session is no longer dependable after a disconnect or reconnect.
An offline ban cannot be created or removed
Use the persistent identity ID rather than a transient player number. The ban forms support identity IDs specifically for this purpose.
RCON says the command is not permitted
Check whether the connection is using monitor instead of admin, then inspect rcon.whitelist and rcon.blacklist. A monitor connection cannot perform state-changing actions, and a whitelist can deny a command that is not explicitly listed.
A desired command does not exist
Teleportation, weather, time, scenario selection, chat broadcasting, voting, and server locking are not native commands. Install and maintain a compatible server-side mod if those capabilities are essential, rather than trying alternate spellings of a built-in command.
What is a safe administration routine?
- Authenticate, then verify the session with
#roles. - Inspect
#playersand note the current player number, identity ID, and name. - Choose the least disruptive action: kick for immediate removal, a timed ban for a defined period, a permanent ban only when policy calls for it,
#restartfor a scenario reload, or#shutdownfor a full stop. - Use identity IDs for offline actions and ban removal.
- Review the resulting ban state with
#ban listwhen a ban was issued or changed. - Log out with
#logoutwhen the administrative session is no longer needed.
This routine keeps the access path, permission level, target identity, and server impact explicit before each command is sent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a moderation log contain for each action?
Record the UTC time, operator, player name, current player number, persistent identity ID, command used, duration in seconds, and reason. Keeping both identifiers lets you reconcile a live incident with a later appeal even after the session number changes.
Can a monitoring bot share an administrator RCON credential?
It should not. Give monitoring software a separate RCON account with monitor permission and a read-only whitelist; reserve admin credentials for trusted operators who must change server state.
How can I test an RCON setup without risking a live kick or shutdown?
Connect first with a monitor account and verify read-only responses, then inspect the whitelist before granting administrative access. Test state-changing commands on a private or maintenance server, and add only the commands staff actually need.