Squad Server Settings Explained: The Best Config for Your Group

The best Squad server configuration is the one your hardware, admins, and community can sustain—not a copied block of “universal” values. For a mixed public group on Squad 10.6.3, start with a clearly named public server, ShouldAdvertise=true, IsLANMatch=false, a tested capacity, only the reserved slots your staff actually needs, a finite queue, and a short validated rotation. Check both Server.cfg and the startup FIXEDMAXPLAYERS value before increasing capacity. Use LayerRotation.cfg when you need exact map, mode, and faction combinations; use LevelRotation.cfg when you want map control but more game-selected variation. Secure RCON separately, and remember that licensed servers must remain publicly accessible and meet Offworld Industries’ hardware, staffing, and browser requirements.

Where are Squad’s server settings stored?

Core configuration files are stored under SquadGame/ServerConfig/. The exact filenames and control-panel labels can vary by game build or host, so inspect the files generated by your installed Squad 10.6.3 build instead of assuming that an older guide’s labels are current.

The files normally divide responsibilities rather than putting every option in one place:

• Server.cfg: identity, visibility, capacity, queue, password, and gameplay administration settings.
• LayerRotation.cfg: explicit map-layer entries, including the game mode and faction combination represented by each layer.
• LevelRotation.cfg: map-level entries that let the game select compatible layers with more variation.
• VoteConfig.cfg: map-vote behavior, including the repeat and faction controls introduced in Squad 10.6.
• Rcon.cfg: external administration enablement, password, and listening port.
• Admin and ban lists: SteamID64 entries, groups, and moderation rules; the host may expose these through separate panel files.

Back up the complete ServerConfig directory before changing several files. A panel can rewrite startup-managed values, and some hosts reread administrative files only after a map change or restart.

What is the best baseline for a public community server?

Use the following as a starting policy, not as official defaults. These recommendations are derived from the documented controls and should be adjusted after observing frame time, player queues, crashes, and moderation workload.

Setting or decision	Recommended starting approach	Why it matters
ServerName	Include region, primary language, and community identity.	Players can identify the server before joining and distinguish it from similarly named instances.
ShouldAdvertise	true for a public community server.	Allows the server to appear in the browser when the other visibility and licensing conditions are met.
IsLANMatch	false for an Internet server.	Prevents an ordinary public host from being treated as a LAN match.
MaxPlayers	Choose a capacity your machine can sustain; validate it before increasing it.	This is the total player ceiling, including reserved capacity.
Reserved slots	Reserve only the spaces required by the admin or member team.	Reserved slots reduce the number of ordinary public slots because they come out of MaxPlayers.
PublicQueueLimit	Use a finite queue. A documented hosting example uses 25; 0 disables the public queue.	Prevents an unbounded line while still allowing a busy server to fill predictably.
ServerPassword	Leave it empty on a licensed public server.	Licensed servers must remain publicly accessible.
Team balance	Enable the available team-balance protections and explain team-change rules in the MOTD or server rules.	Players understand the policy before joining, while the exact setting names and defaults remain build-dependent.
TKAutoKickEnabled	Enable it with a proportionate automatic team-kill policy, then monitor false positives.	Automatic punishment should reduce deliberate team killing without ejecting players for one accidental incident.

A distinctive name and clear rules are operational settings, not decoration. They reduce mistaken joins, make moderation expectations visible, and give players a way to find the same server again.

How do MaxPlayers, reserved slots, and FIXEDMAXPLAYERS interact?

MaxPlayers is the total ceiling, not the number of ordinary public places. Reserved slots are included inside that ceiling, and the lower limit wins if the startup command line imposes a separate cap.

Calculate public capacity correctly

A documented example uses MaxPlayers=80 with four reserved slots. The result is 76 ordinary public slots and four reserved places, not 80 public places plus four staff places. If you reserve too much, the server can look full to ordinary players even when several reserved places are unused.

Set reservations from actual staffing needs: on a small group, that may mean only the people who must join to moderate; on a larger operation, it may cover a scheduled admin team. Revisit the number when your staffing pattern changes.

Check the startup cap before raising the file value

Hosting documentation also describes a FIXEDMAXPLAYERS startup value. If Server.cfg allows more players but FIXEDMAXPLAYERS is lower, the startup value caps the server below the file setting. When a server fills earlier than expected, compare both values before changing hardware or blaming the browser.

Squad’s current platform documentation supports PvP matches of up to 100 players. That is a platform ceiling, not a promise that every host should run 100 players. Begin at a sustainable capacity, watch performance and queue behavior, and increase in measured steps.

How do I keep a licensed server visible in the browser?

For a public Internet server, set ShouldAdvertise=true and IsLANMatch=false, verify that the required ports are reachable, and confirm that startup logs contain no fatal configuration errors. Licensing status changes where the server appears: licensed servers are listed in the primary Server Browser, while unlicensed servers appear under Custom Servers.

Offworld Industries’ current policy says, “Servers must remain publicly accessible at all times.” A licensed server therefore cannot be converted into a permanently private, password-only instance without violating that requirement. Leave ServerPassword empty for the licensed public configuration and use admin controls, queues, and clear rules to manage access.

Licensing requirements that affect planning

• Offworld lists 8 GB of RAM minimum, plus 4 GB additional RAM per game instance.
• A licensed server requires a minimum of 10 admins.
• A community may apply for up to four licenses before additional justification is required.
• The policy lists approved CPU families and does not permit virtual machines for licensing.

Those figures are licensing criteria, not a universal performance benchmark for every private or unlicensed test server. A machine that meets the minimum can still need more CPU headroom for a full match, multiple instances, mods, or heavy administration.

Should I use LayerRotation.cfg or LevelRotation.cfg?

Choose LayerRotation.cfg when the group wants exact control of map, game mode, and faction combinations. Choose LevelRotation.cfg when it wants to name maps while allowing the game to select compatible layers and provide more variation.

Rotation file	What you control	Best fit	Main risk
LayerRotation.cfg	Specific layer entries, including map, mode, and faction combination.	Training nights, themed events, competitive practice, or a group that wants predictable match structure.	A single invalid or incorrectly capitalized layer name can stall rotation.
LevelRotation.cfg	Map-level selection while compatible layers are chosen by the game.	Public servers seeking map variety without maintaining every mode-and-faction pairing.	The resulting mode or faction may differ from what players expected.

Some control panels call a rotation MapRotation.cfg even when the underlying build uses one of these files. Treat the generated files and the panel’s current labels as authoritative for your installation rather than copying a filename from an older guide.

Build a reliable rotation

1. Decide whether the group needs exact layer control or map-level variety.
2. Start with a short list of maps the community actually wants to play.
3. Enter layer names exactly as the installed build expects, including capitalization.
4. Keep comments on their own lines. Configuration references warn that inline comments can break parsing.
5. Restart or reload using the method your host documents, then watch the first complete cycle.
6. Add more entries only after every existing entry has loaded successfully.

A short, tested rotation is easier to diagnose than a long list assembled from several versions of Squad. If the server stops after one match, first check the entry immediately following the last successful layer.

What changed in map voting in Squad 10.6?

Squad 10.6 introduced updated map-vote controls intended to reduce repetitive matches and repetitive faction combinations. The release notes describe the goal as preventing “repetitive matches and factions from spoiling the fun.” The defaults apply to new servers; existing servers retain their previous vote configuration until an owner changes it.

Review VoteConfig.cfg deliberately after upgrading to 10.6.3. Do not assume that installing the update changed a live server’s behavior. Decide how much control players should have between rounds and evaluate the configuration on three axes:

• Repeat avoidance: prevent the same map or layer from appearing too often.
• Faction variety: avoid repeatedly presenting the same faction pairing.
• Player choice: preserve enough voting influence that the rotation does not feel predetermined.

Change one group of vote options at a time and observe several rounds. If players report that the same combinations keep returning, inspect repeat and faction controls before replacing the entire rotation.

How do I configure RCON safely?

RCON is the main path for administration from outside the game server process. In Rcon.cfg, enable RCON, set a non-empty password, and assign a reachable port. External tools can then issue accepted administrative actions such as kicks, broadcasts, and layer changes.

RCON setup checklist

1. Open the generated Rcon.cfg under SquadGame/ServerConfig/.
2. Set the enable option to the value required by your build.
3. Use a long, unique password that is not reused for the panel, operating-system account, or community services.
4. Choose the RCON port allocated by your host and allow it through the firewall only as widely as your administration plan requires.
5. Connect from an external administration tool and test a harmless command, such as a broadcast.
6. Store the password outside public screenshots, repositories, shared snippets, and support posts.

Common startup values documented by hosting guides include game port 7787, query port 27165, and RCON port 21114. These are examples, not universal assignments; many hosts allocate different ports. Use the values shown by your panel or startup command line and ensure that each required port is reachable from the Internet.

How should I manage admins, teams, and team kills?

Keep the admin list and groups as narrow as practical. Verify each moderator’s SteamID64 entry and group name, and remove former staff promptly. A typo can make a trusted person unable to act, while an overly broad group can grant powers to the wrong account.

Publish team-change rules in the MOTD or server rules before a player needs an exception. Enable the available team-balance protections, but check the generated Server.cfg for the exact option names and defaults because they can vary between builds.

Use TKAutoKickEnabled with a proportionate automatic team-kill policy. Review kick logs and player reports for false positives, especially during vehicle accidents, artillery incidents, or chaotic objective pushes. Automatic moderation is a first response, not a substitute for an admin who can examine context.

When do configuration changes take effect?

Reload behavior depends on the file and the host. Some control panels rewrite startup-managed settings every time the server launches. Administrative files may be reread on a map change or restart, while mods can require a reinstall rather than a simple restart.

Use this safe change process:

1. Stop the server or use the host’s documented maintenance mode.
2. Copy the entire ServerConfig directory to a dated backup.
3. Change one related set of values, such as visibility or rotation, rather than editing every file at once.
4. Start the server and inspect the startup log for parsing errors, rejected values, and the effective player cap.
5. Join as a normal player and as an administrator to verify browser visibility, queue behavior, and RCON access.
6. Record the change and its observed result so a later rollback is unambiguous.

If a panel restores an old value on startup, edit the panel’s startup field or template instead of repeatedly changing the generated file.

Why is my Squad server missing from the browser?

Check visibility, network reachability, licensing, and startup errors in that order. A correct Server.cfg value cannot compensate for a blocked port or a server that fails during startup.

• Confirm ShouldAdvertise=true.
• Confirm IsLANMatch=false for an Internet host.
• Check that the game, query, and any required administration ports match the host allocation and firewall rules.
• Confirm licensing status and look in the correct browser category: licensed servers appear in the primary browser, unlicensed servers under Custom Servers.
• Read the startup log for malformed settings, missing files, or a rotation entry that prevents the server from completing initialization.

After correcting a setting, allow for the server to restart and register again. Test from a connection outside the host’s local network to distinguish a browser-registration problem from a local discovery problem.

Why does the server hold fewer players than expected?

Compare all three capacity controls: MaxPlayers, reserved slots, and FIXEDMAXPLAYERS. Reserved slots reduce ordinary public capacity, while a lower startup cap overrides a higher file value.

For example, an 80-player ceiling with four reserved slots exposes 76 ordinary public places. If the startup command contains a lower fixed value, the effective ceiling can be lower still. Check the startup log for the value the process actually accepted before changing the configuration.

Why does the map rotation stall or skip entries?

Most rotation failures come from editing the wrong file, using an invalid layer name, or changing capitalization. Confirm which rotation mode the server is configured to use, then validate every entry in that file.

• Check whether the server expects LayerRotation.cfg or LevelRotation.cfg.
• Match each map or layer name exactly, including capitalization.
• Remove inline comments and place explanations on separate lines.
• Test a short rotation before restoring a longer list.
• Review the log immediately after the last successful match for the rejected entry.

Why are admin commands or RCON connections failing?

Separate local admin-file problems from network authentication problems. For in-game permissions, verify SteamID64 entries and group names. For external administration, verify that RCON is enabled, the password is non-empty and correct, and the allocated port is reachable.

Do not paste the password into a public support thread while troubleshooting. Rotate it after accidental exposure and update every authorized administration tool.

Why did the 10.6 map-vote behavior not appear after updating?

Squad 10.6 did not overwrite existing server vote configurations. New defaults apply to new servers, while an established server keeps its previous VoteConfig.cfg until an owner edits it. Open the existing file, compare its repeat, faction, and player-choice controls with the behavior you want, and restart or reload according to the host’s procedure.

Why does a mod still not appear after a restart?

A restart is not always enough. Check that the host installed the mod and every dependent Workshop item, then verify whether that host requires a reinstall for mod changes to take effect. Review the startup log for download, dependency, or version errors before changing unrelated server settings.

What should I test before opening the server to the public?

Run a controlled rehearsal with the same startup command, rotation, and moderation tools you intend to use publicly.

• Search for the exact server name from an external connection.
• Join with an ordinary account and confirm the public queue and reserved-slot behavior.
• Join with a staff account and verify reserved access and the intended admin group.
• Complete enough rounds to test every initial rotation entry.
• Use RCON to send a broadcast and perform a harmless layer-management test.
• Trigger a configuration reload or restart and confirm that the panel does not overwrite your values.
• Check memory, CPU, player count, queue length, and log errors before raising capacity.

Only after this rehearsal should you expand the rotation, increase player capacity, or add more mods. Each change creates another possible failure point, so a staged rollout gives you a clear rollback path.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run a private passworded Squad server with a license?

A licensed server is required to remain publicly accessible at all times, so a permanently password-only setup does not fit that policy. For private testing, use the server type and licensing arrangement permitted by the current policy, then return the licensed instance to public access before operating it as a community server.

What is a sensible number of reserved slots for a small clan?

Reserve the number of staff members who genuinely need guaranteed entry during normal operation, rather than choosing a percentage of the player cap. Review the figure after a few busy sessions; unused reservations reduce public capacity even when no moderator is online.

Do I need to open the query port as well as the game port?

Yes, if your host or browser-registration setup assigns a separate query port. The documented example uses game port 7787 and query port 27165, but your provider may allocate different values, so copy the ports from the active startup configuration and firewall them consistently.

How can I roll back a bad rotation edit?

Stop the server, restore the dated copy of the complete ServerConfig directory, and start it with the same startup parameters. If the panel regenerates files, restore the panel template or startup field as well; otherwise the old value may be overwritten on the next launch.