GROUND BRANCH Dedicated Server — Full Setup, Ports & Configuration

GROUND BRANCH is free to host anywhere, for anyone who owns the game — there's no license fee and no built-in hosting wall. You can run a dedicated server from your own PC, a VPS, or rent from one of the official partners listed on the official rent-a-server page. This guide covers the whole process: SteamCMD install, the ports (UDP 7777 and 27015), command line options, the config files that control everything, and how to admin the box.

Here's what you'll learn:

• What you need before hosting (ports, Windows, SteamCMD)
• Installing the standalone server with SteamCMD (appid 476400)
• Starting the server with DedicatedServer.bat or the command line
• Every command line option that matters (MaxPlayers, MaxAI, missions, time of day)
• Server.ini / Admin.ini / Vote.ini / MapList.ini configuration
• Admin setup, maplists, and troubleshooting common failures

Official resources: Steam guide: Dedicated Server Help · Official rent-a-server page · PCGamingWiki · Steam store page

Before You Start: Ports & Requirements

The community-maintained Dedicated Server Help guide — the guide the official FAQ points players to — is the canonical reference. The essentials:

• Ports: open UDP 7777 (game) and UDP 27015 (query) in your Windows firewall and router. Both must be forwarded to the server machine.
• Windows only: running a dedicated server is officially supported on Windows only at this time. Linux support is planned but not yet available; the server may run under Proton but it's unverified — don't build a production box on it yet. Mac is not planned.
• A second port pair (e.g. Port=7779 QueryPort=27017) is used only if you run multiple instances on one IP — each instance needs its own ports.
• Players connect by IP — either in the server browser (dedicated servers appear there) or by direct IP via console: open the console (~, * or Shift+6) and type open <IP> (PCGamingWiki). This is also how you connect from the same machine hosting the server.

Installing the Server with SteamCMD

The standalone dedicated server is a separate SteamCMD app (appid 476400) — it does not require (or include) the full game client. Install SteamCMD from the Valve developer wiki, then run:

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir c:\gbserver +app_update 476400 +exit

Replace c:\gbserver with your install directory. First run downloads the whole server package; re-running the same command updates it. There's no Steam-download alternative for the server — SteamCMD is the supported path.

Starting the Server

Two ways, both documented in the Dedicated Server Help guide:

Easiest — the batch file. The full game install includes <Steam Library>\steamapps\common\Ground Branch\DedicatedServer.bat, which locates the server binary automatically and restarts the server if it crashes. You can copy this file to your server directory and run it.

Manual — the command line. The binary is GroundBranchServer-Win64-Shipping.exe in Binaries\Win64. The recommended minimal invocation:

GroundBranchServer-Win64-Shipping.exe ?MaxPlayers=8?MaxAI=30 MultiHome=X.X.X.X Port=7777 QueryPort=27015 -log

Putting MaxPlayers and MaxAI on the command line sets them globally, overriding admin commands, votes and game settings. Startup order matters: if a maplist exists the server uses it; otherwise it uses whatever map/mission is on the command line (e.g. SmallTown?Mission=IntelRetrieval); if neither exists it falls back to "Server Default", which prompts the admin to build a maplist.

Command Line Options & Switches

Options are prefixed with ? and set with =; switches use -. Full table from the server guide:

Map names available for maplists: 747, Arena, Arena2, City, Creek, Depot, Depot_Compound, Paintball, PowerStation, RunDown, SmallTown, StorageFacility, Tanker (V1.0 renamed RunDown to Hospital and rebuilt several maps — see the V1.0 release notes for the new map lineup).

Server Configuration Files

All .ini files live in GroundBranch\ServerConfig (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Ground Branch\GroundBranch\ServerConfig\). They're generated automatically on first start if missing. Format is key=value, comments use ;.

• Server.ini — ServerName (64 chars max), ServerMOTD (512 chars max, supports <br>, <b>, <h1-3>), ServerPassword, MaxPlayers (if not set on the command line).
• Admin.ini — admin groups and members: Admins=(Name="JoeBlow",UniqueId="12345678901234567",ContactInfo="",Group="SuperAdmin"). The :0 suffix older guides mention is no longer required. SuperAdmin can do everything; a Moderator group can kick, ban or change maps.
• Vote.ini — VoteDuration, VoteSucceededTimeout, VoteFailedTimeout, MinPlayers (minimum players before voting unlocks), and VotingCommands= lines (changemap, nextmap, kick…).
• MapList.ini — rotation. Easiest via the admin menu; manually it's a [/script/rbzookeeper.zkmaplist] section with one MapList= line per map+mission combo, as above.

Admin & Server Management

On first startup, if no admins are configured, the server generates AdminSetupPassword.txt with a unique one-time password (also printed to the console). Connect to your server, open the console, and run:

admin setup <password>

That promotes you to SuperAdmin. From then on the admin menu (available via the Esc-menu admin button, F8, or typing admin in console) gives you: server commands (changemap, ban, kick), maplist creation/editing, server name/MOTD/max players/password, and admin management.

In-game host admins (listen servers via Host Game) use the same admin panel; the official FAQ documents admin from the console and the Esc › Admin Panel route. Note that listen servers were temporarily restricted after V1.0 while the team fixed networking issues (per PCGamingWiki) — for anything reliable, run a real dedicated server.

Troubleshooting & Hosting Options

• Server won't start: the server needs DirectX and MSVC runtime on a full Windows install — a command-line-only Windows Server core won't do, per the community guide's notes.
• Maplist "not working": the server guide's comments flag that some map names changed in recent updates — verify mission paths exist under GroundBranch\Content\GroundBranch\Mission and use the admin menu to regenerate.
• Mods not syncing: check modding.ini; wait for the mod sync step in the console before declaring it broken.
• Need support? The official FAQ points to the #server-support channel on the official Discord, and to the rent-a-server page listing trusted partners (Blue Fang Solutions, PingPerfect and Citadel Servers) if you'd rather not self-host.
• Joining: browser empty? Use direct connect — console open <IP>. Our multiplayer guide covers the joining side in full.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set up a Ground Branch dedicated server? Install SteamCMD, run steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir c:\gbserver +app_update 476400 +exit, forward UDP 7777 and 27015, then start GroundBranchServer-Win64-Shipping.exe (or DedicatedServer.bat) with your map/mission options.

What ports does Ground Branch use for dedicated servers? UDP 7777 (game) and UDP 27015 (query). Both must be open in the firewall and router; a second instance uses a second port pair.

Can I run a Ground Branch server on Linux? Not officially — only Windows is supported for servers right now. Linux server support is planned; the game client can run under Proton/Steam Play but the server is unverified there.

How do I become admin on my Ground Branch server? On first run the server generates an AdminSetupPassword; connect in-game, open the console and type admin setup <password>. After that, the admin menu (F8) handles everything.

How do I change the map rotation? Use the admin menu (easiest) or edit GroundBranch\ServerConfig\MapList.ini with one MapList= line per map under [/script/rbzookeeper.zkmaplist]. The server picks up the maplist on next map change or restart.

Related Guides

• Ground Branch Multiplayer — Co-op, PvP & How Many Players
• Ground Branch System Requirements — Can My PC Run It?
• Ground Branch Best Settings — Performance & FPS Fixes
• Ground Branch Missions & Modes — Every Game Mode Explained
• Ground Branch Beginners Guide — How to Play & First Hour
• Ground Branch Tactics Guide — Squad Movement & Positioning

Last updated: August 14, 2026.