The fastest way to install Arma Reforger mods on a server is the in-panel LPV5 Mod Manager, which lets you search the Workshop, add mods, and write them into config.json without editing JSON by hand. Reforger mods live on the official Workshop and are identified by a 16-character mod ID. This guide covers the Mod Manager, adding hidden and unlisted mods by ID, building shareable mod presets, dependency handling, and hot-reloading mods so you can iterate without long downtime.
How Arma Reforger Mods Work
Every Arma Reforger mod is published to the official Workshop and carries a unique 16-character hexadecimal mod ID, for example 5AAAC70D754245DD. A server loads mods by listing those IDs in the mods array of config.json. When the server starts, it downloads each listed mod and any mods that mod depends on, then every connecting player downloads the same set automatically. There is no manual file copying on the client side.
- Keep a written record of your modlist with IDs so you can rebuild it quickly
- A mod ID is 16 hexadecimal characters and is shown in the Workshop URL and on the mod page
- The server, not the player, decides the modlist; clients sync to match
Installing Mods with the LPV5 Mod Manager
The LPV5 Mod Manager is the recommended way to install mods. It runs inside the panel, browses the Workshop, and writes valid entries into config.json for you, so there is no risk of a JSON syntax error breaking the server.
- Open the Arma Reforger section of the LPV5 panel and select the Mod Manager
- Search for a mod by name in the Workshop browser
- Click to add the mod to your server
- Repeat for every mod you want
- Save so the Mod Manager writes the entries into the mods array
- Restart the server and watch the console download the mods
- Because the Mod Manager writes the JSON, you avoid the missing-comma errors that come with hand editing
- Installed mods show their version and update status in the panel
Some mods are hidden or unlisted on the Workshop, often private faction packs, in-development mods, or community-internal tools. They will not appear in a name search, but they install perfectly well if you have the mod ID. The Mod Manager lets you add a mod directly by its 16-character ID.
- Obtain the 16-character mod ID from whoever shared the hidden mod, or from the Workshop URL
- In the Mod Manager, choose the option to add a mod by ID
- Paste the mod ID exactly, with no extra spaces
- Add it to your preset and save
- Restart and confirm the console downloads the hidden mod
- Mod IDs are case-insensitive hex, but copy them exactly to avoid typos
- Hidden mods can be unpublished or made private by their author at any time, which can break a server start until you remove the entry
Building and Sharing Mod Presets
A mod preset is a saved, named modlist. Presets make it easy to keep separate setups, for example one for a Conflict night and one for a Game Master night, and to share an exact modlist with another admin or another server. A shareable preset means a teammate can reproduce your modlist without copying IDs one by one.
- Build your modlist in the Mod Manager
- Save it as a named preset, for example Conflict Night or WW2 Eastern Front
- Use the share or export option to generate a shareable preset
- Send the shareable preset to another admin or import it on another server
- Apply a preset to swap the whole modlist in one action
- Keep one preset per recurring event so you can switch the entire server theme instantly
- Sharing a preset is the cleanest way to keep a second server identical to the first
Mod Load Order and Dependencies
Reforger resolves mod dependencies automatically: if a mod requires another mod, the server downloads that dependency for you, so you do not list dependencies by hand. Load order still matters when two mods touch the same content, because the later mod can override the earlier one.
- Do not manually add dependency mods; the server pulls them in automatically
- Place framework or base mods before the mods that build on them
- If two mods conflict over the same content, adjust which one loads last to control the override
- Most modlist breakage after an update is a dependency that itself updated; recheck the console log after Workshop updates
Hot-Reloading Mods
Hot-reload lets you apply a changed modlist without a long, fully manual rebuild cycle. When you change mods in the Mod Manager and reload, the server fetches the new and updated mods and restarts the scenario quickly. It is the fast iteration loop for testing a modlist.
- Make your change in the Mod Manager, such as adding or removing a mod
- Save the preset
- Trigger the reload from the panel
- Watch the console download only the new or updated mods
- Rejoin to confirm the modlist applied
- Hot-reload is ideal when tuning a modlist; you are not waiting on a full cold setup each time
- Announce reloads to players, since they will be dropped and need to rejoin and resync
- Any modlist change forces every connected player to redownload the changed mods on their next join
Testing a Modded Server Before Going Live
A modded Reforger server should always get a real join test before you announce it. Mods interact in ways that are hard to predict, and a single bad entry can stop the server or break a scenario.
- Start the server and confirm the console shows every mod downloaded with no errors
- Join the server yourself and confirm the scenario loads
- Test the headline features the mods are supposed to add
- Check for script errors or missing assets in-game
- Only then share the connection details with your community
- If the server fails to start after a mod change, remove the most recently added mod first and retest
Common Mod Problems and Fixes
Most mod issues come down to a small number of causes: a mistyped mod ID, a mod that was unpublished, a Workshop update that changed a dependency, or two mods fighting over the same content. The console log names the failing mod, which makes diagnosis quick.
- Remove the suspect mod, restart, and confirm the server boots, then reintroduce mods one at a time
- Keep mods on auto-update by leaving version fields empty so you stay current with dependencies
- A wrong or unpublished mod ID will stop the server from starting; the log identifies which entry failed
- A modlist that worked yesterday can break after a Workshop update to one of its mods