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To install Blastcore, place the same compatible Blastcore package and its required dependency, CBA_A3, in the client and server mod configuration as appropriate, copy every supplied .bikey file into the server’s keys folder, restart the server, and confirm both mods in the RPT log. Clients must use the matching package and CBA_A3. Blastcore is primarily a visual-effects mod, so some communities run it only on clients; others require it on the server for policy or compatibility reasons.
Choose the correct Blastcore package first
“Blastcore” is not one single package. The package you select determines which files clients need and whether CBA_A3 or the original Blastcore files are also required. Do not add multiple Blastcore variants together unless the package author explicitly says they are compatible.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Blastcore Edited standalone (Paladin build) | The Workshop listing reports no dependencies. The author describes it as a standalone build and warns against running it with the separate fix version. | Install the same standalone package on every client. CBA_A3 is still commonly included for Blastcore-family setups, so check the current package page and your server’s compatibility requirements. | Use this as the simplest starting point. Add it to the server only if your server rules or current package documentation require it. |
| Blastcore Edited fix version | The listing identifies CBA_A3 and Blastcore 2’s warfx.pbo as dependencies. It is not a complete replacement for the original Blastcore files. |
Every client needs CBA_A3, the original Blastcore files containing warfx.pbo, and the fix package. |
Mirror the dependency set that your host and package documentation require. Do not install the fix as though it were the standalone build. |
| Blastcore Murr Edition | The Workshop listing reports it as incompatible with Arma 3 and removed. | Do not use it for a current Arma 3 server. | Do not add it to the launch parameters or keys folder. |
A host guide describes the standalone Paladin build as the up-to-date option and says the original author stopped updating the mod. That information is based on a listing summary rather than a verified current build, so check the package’s present Workshop status and compatibility notes before deployment.
Use one coherent dependency set
For a standalone installation, the usual set is the standalone Blastcore package plus CBA_A3 where the current package or server policy requires it. For the fix build, use CBA_A3, the original Blastcore files with warfx.pbo, and the fix package. Keep the package names and versions identical across players; a client with a different Blastcore branch can fail signature or dependency checks even when the folder looks similar.
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Decide what belongs on the server
Blastcore changes visual effects. A Bohemia Interactive forum discussion argues that the visual mod may not need to execute on the dedicated server when clients run it themselves. That is a practical option, not a universal rule: server administrators may still require the mod on the server, and some related packages provide server-side behavior.
Client-required mods
Put Blastcore and CBA_A3 in the host panel’s client or “Additional mods” field when players must load them to connect. In a command-line setup this corresponds to the -mod list. The exact field label and delimiter vary by host, so use the syntax shown by your current control panel rather than copying an old example verbatim.
Server-only mods
Use the server-mods or “Additional server mods” field for an add-on that runs only on the host and is not required on clients. In command-line terminology this is normally -serverMod. A forum response warns not to list the same mod in both -mod and -serverMod; duplicate placement can create confusing startup and signature behavior.
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The optional server-side smoke add-on
A Workshop item described as “Server side smoke (for Blastcore Edited)” is intended for the host only, has no client key, and tells administrators to run it without other Blastcore Edited mods on the server while clients keep Blastcore Edited. Its listing also includes removed or incompatible notices. Treat its availability and compatibility as unconfirmed: only use it if the item is currently listed and its present instructions match your Arma 3 build. If you use it, make it the sole Blastcore Edited item on the server.
Prepare the files and a rollback
Collect the exact packages
- Download the same Blastcore branch for all players.
- Download CBA_A3 when required by the package, your host documentation, or your community’s standard mod set.
- If using the fix build, obtain the original Blastcore files that provide
warfx.pbo. - Keep the downloaded archives until the server has started successfully; they are useful for restoring a known-good version.
Stop the server before changing files
Stop the Arma 3 service before uploading, replacing, or deleting a mod. Changing a PBO or key while the process is running can leave a partial installation or cause the restart to use a mixture of old and new files. If your host offers a configuration backup, create one before editing the mod list.
Preserve the normal Arma 3 mod layout
Most distributions use a folder such as @CBA_A3 or @Blastcore containing an addons directory and, for signed packages, a keys directory. Do not move PBO files out of addons, rename internal files, or nest the package one directory deeper than the host expects. The control panel’s mod installer may create the correct layout automatically; if you upload manually, match the layout used by the other working mods on that server.
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Install Blastcore step by step
- Stop the dedicated server. Confirm that the service is offline before making changes.
- Upload or install CBA_A3. Use the host’s Workshop/mod installer or file manager. If uploading manually, place the complete mod folder beside the other Arma 3 mod folders, including its
addonsdirectory. - Upload the selected Blastcore build. For the standalone branch, install only that branch. For the fix branch, also install the original Blastcore files required by the listing, including the package that contains
warfx.pbo. - Install the matching client packages. Each player should subscribe to or copy exactly the same Blastcore branch and CBA_A3 version. A client should not combine the standalone and fix builds.
- Set the client-required mod list. Add CBA_A3 and Blastcore to the panel field labelled “Additional mods,” “Mods,” or an equivalent client-facing field. In a launch-parameter configuration, these belong in
-modwhen clients need them. - Set the server-only list, if needed. Add only genuinely host-side packages to “Additional server mods” or the equivalent
-serverModoption. Do not place a mod in both lists. - Copy the signing keys. Open each installed mod’s
keysfolder. Copy the contents—not the parent folder—into the dedicated server’s centralkeysfolder. Repeat for CBA_A3, Blastcore, the original Blastcore dependency, and any other signed mod you enabled. If two packages contain identically named keys, retain the key set that belongs to the version you are actually running and follow the package author’s current instructions. - Save the panel configuration. Apply the settings and check that the host has not silently removed a mod, changed the folder name, or inserted a duplicate entry.
- Start the server and wait for a complete boot. Do not test from a client while the server is still loading its mod list.
- Check the RPT log. Search the latest log for CBA_A3, Blastcore, dependency warnings, signature errors, or messages that a PBO could not be loaded. The exact wording changes between Arma 3 builds and hosts, but the mod names should appear during startup when they have been recognized.
- Connect with a clean, matching client profile. Launch only the mod set required by the server. If the connection succeeds, test an explosion, smoke effect, and other Blastcore-related visuals in a safe session before opening the server to the wider community.
How to handle signing keys and BattlEye
Arma 3 uses key files to verify signed mods. A mod can exist in the right folder and still fail to load for connecting players if its public key is missing from the server’s keys directory. Copying each package’s supplied .bikey files into the server’s central keys folder is therefore a required part of a signed installation, not an optional cleanup step.
Some host panels provide a setting for mods that do not include a public key. A host guide also notes that disabling BattlEye can reduce connection errors in such cases, but doing so is a security trade-off. Do not disable anti-cheat protection merely to hide a key problem; first confirm that the package is current, signed as expected, and copied to the correct keys folder. If your community does choose a BattlEye change, document it for every administrator and understand that it changes the server’s protection level.
Verify that clients and the server agree
| What to compare | Server | Client | Typical failure when they differ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blastcore branch | Standalone or fix branch, not both | The identical branch | Missing dependency, signature mismatch, or visual effects not appearing |
| CBA_A3 | Installed when required by the package or server policy | Matching CBA_A3 version | Dependency warning or failure to join |
| Original Blastcore files | Required for the fix branch | Required for the fix branch | The fix package cannot find warfx.pbo |
| Keys | All supplied public keys copied to the central keys folder | Signed files from the matching package | Signature or “not accepted” connection error |
| Launch placement | Server-only packages in -serverMod |
Client-required packages in -mod |
Clients are asked for a server-only package or a mod starts twice |
Troubleshoot “Blastcore is not loading”
The RPT log never mentions Blastcore
- Confirm the mod folder is in the directory used by the running instance, not a staging or backup directory.
- Check the panel’s enabled-mod field for spelling, separators, and accidental duplicate entries.
- Verify that the folder contains
addonsand that its PBO files were not left inside the downloaded archive. - Restart after saving the configuration; many hosts do not apply a changed mod list to an already running process.
The log reports a missing dependency
Identify which branch you installed. The fix version needs CBA_A3 and the original Blastcore files containing warfx.pbo. The standalone Paladin build is listed without dependencies, but do not assume that its files can satisfy the fix package. Install the missing package on both sides, or replace the fix branch with the standalone build if that better matches your community’s intended setup.
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Players receive a key or signature error
Stop the server and recopy the .bikey files from every enabled mod’s keys folder into the server’s central keys directory. Remove obsolete keys only when you are certain no enabled mod still uses them. Then restart and have the player verify that their local files come from the same package version as the server.
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Check whether the package was placed in the server-only field. A mod in -serverMod should not be demanded from clients, while a client-required Blastcore or CBA_A3 package must be in the normal mod list. Also check that you did not accidentally list a package in both fields.
Blastcore and another effects mod conflict
The Blastcore author advises disabling other Blastcore or ArmaFXP-related mods to avoid conflicts. Remove competing effects packages from the client test profile first. If the clean profile works, re-enable other visual mods one at a time so you can identify the conflict rather than changing several variables simultaneously.
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Effects appear, but performance drops
Search for the problem in explosion-heavy scenes, where performance can dip for a few seconds according to the package’s author summary. Test on the actual mission and hardware used by your players. If the drop is unacceptable, make Blastcore optional for clients, reduce other effects-heavy additions, or adopt a server policy that excludes it; do not claim a universal frame-rate impact because no standardized benchmark is established here.
The server crashes or refuses to start after an update
Return to the last known-good package, restore the previous mod list, and start with only CBA_A3 and the chosen Blastcore branch. Check the RPT log for the first load error rather than the final cascade of messages. Reintroduce the original Blastcore dependency, fix package, or optional smoke add-on only after the minimal installation boots.
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Operational checklist
- Choose the standalone Paladin build or the fix build; never mix both.
- Do not use Blastcore Murr Edition because its listing reports it as removed and incompatible with Arma 3.
- For the fix build, provide CBA_A3 and the original Blastcore files containing
warfx.pbo. - Keep the client packages identical to the server’s intended versions.
- Put client-required mods in the normal mod list and genuinely server-only packages in the server-mod list.
- Never list one mod in both
-modand-serverMod. - Copy every enabled mod’s
.bikeyfile into the server’s central keys folder. - Restart after every mod-list or key change.
- Confirm CBA_A3 and Blastcore in the RPT log before troubleshooting the client.
- Test with competing Blastcore or ArmaFXP-related effects mods disabled.
- Treat the optional server-side smoke package as conditional because its current Workshop availability and compatibility are not established.
Final installation decision
For most new installations, start with one current Blastcore Edited branch, add CBA_A3 where required, copy the supplied keys, and test with a clean client profile. Keep Blastcore client-side if your goal is purely visual and your server rules permit it; place it in the server’s required mod list when your community wants consistent enforcement or the package documentation requires server execution. The reliable indicator is a clean RPT startup and a successful connection from a client running the same dependency set—not merely seeing the mod folder on disk.
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