Bannerlord Dedicated Server Config Commands and Map IDs
Write a Bannerlord server config: GameType, map IDs per mode, player caps, rounds, cultures, bots, passwords and admin, with working Siege and Duel files.
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 5 min read
On this page
A Bannerlord dedicated server config is a plain text file in Modules\Native where every line is a console command, run top to bottom when the server starts. Set the name and GameType, add maps for that mode with add_map_to_automated_battle_pool, set options like MaxNumberOfPlayers, GamePassword and AdminPassword, then end with enable_automated_battle_switching and start_game_and_mission. Below are the options worth knowing, the map IDs per mode and complete files you can copy.
How the file is read
The server is told which file to use with /dedicatedcustomserverconfigfile, and looks for it in Modules\Native. TaleWorlds ships samples there named ds_config_*.txt, which are the best starting point. Each line is either an option (Name value) or a command (add_map_..., start_game). Order matters: set options before the start command, since the match begins with whatever is set at that point.
Type list in the server console to print every command the server knows, which is useful after a game patch adds new options.
Core options
| Option | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
ServerName |
ServerName Iron Wall Siege |
Name in the Custom Server List |
GameType |
GameType Siege |
Mode: Siege, TeamDeathmatch, Captain, Skirmish, Duel, Battle |
GamePassword |
GamePassword clan123 |
Join password, leave the value empty for open |
AdminPassword |
AdminPassword long-secret |
Unlocks Join as Admin and the admin panel |
MaxNumberOfPlayers |
MaxNumberOfPlayers 60 |
Player cap |
MinNumberOfPlayersForMatchStart |
MinNumberOfPlayersForMatchStart 2 |
Players needed before a match begins |
WelcomeMessage |
WelcomeMessage Read the rules in Discord |
Shown to players on join |
Set AdminPassword on every server. A blank admin password is the first thing TaleWorlds' own docs tell you to change.
Time and rounds
| Option | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
MapTimeLimit |
minutes | How long a map runs before switching |
RoundTimeLimit |
seconds | Length of one round in round based modes |
RoundPreparationTimeLimit |
seconds | Prep before each round, 30 or more |
RoundTotal |
rounds | Rounds per match in Skirmish, Captain and Battle |
WarmupTimeLimit |
minutes | Warmup before the first round |
Skirmish and Captain are built around rounds, so RoundTotal and RoundTimeLimit shape the whole match. Siege and Team Deathmatch lean on MapTimeLimit.
Teams, cultures and bots
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
CultureTeam1, CultureTeam2 |
Faction per side: empire, sturgia, aserai, vlandia, khuzait, battania |
NumberOfBotsTeam1, NumberOfBotsTeam2 |
Bots per side |
RespawnPeriodTeam1, RespawnPeriodTeam2 |
Respawn delay in seconds for respawn modes |
AutoTeamBalanceThreshold |
How uneven teams can get before balancing |
FriendlyFireDamageMeleeFriendPercent |
Melee damage to teammates, in percent |
FriendlyFireDamageRangedFriendPercent |
Ranged damage to teammates, in percent |
Mirror matches (the same culture on both sides) are popular for scrims since they remove faction balance from the result. Bots are handy for Siege practice with a half full server, but every bot is simulated on the server and adds load.
Votes
AllowPollsToKickPlayers True and AllowPollsToBanPlayers True let players vote out troublemakers when no admin is on. For a clan server with admins around most nights, many leave them off.
Map IDs by mode
Maps must match the GameType. A sample of the official IDs:
| Mode | Map IDs |
|---|---|
| Siege | mp_siege_map_003, mp_siege_map_004, mp_siege_map_005, mp_siege_map_006, mp_siege_map_007_battania, mp_siege_map_009, mp_siege_map_010, mp_siege_map_012 |
| Skirmish and Captain | mp_skirmish_map_004, mp_skirmish_map_005, mp_skirmish_map_006, mp_skirmish_map_007, mp_skirmish_map_008, mp_skirmish_map_009, mp_skirmish_map_010, mp_skirmish_map_013 |
| Battle | mp_battle_map_001, mp_battle_map_002, mp_battle_map_003 |
| Duel | mp_duel_001, mp_duel_002, mp_duel_mode_map_004 |
| Team Deathmatch | mp_tdm_map_001 and the Siege and Skirmish maps |
Several maps have winter or night variants with a suffix, like mp_siege_map_005_winter. The sample config files in Modules\Native list the current maps for each mode, which is the safest reference after a patch.
Add each map with its own line:
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_003
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_005
enable_automated_battle_switching then rotates through the pool as matches end.
Complete example: a Siege server
ServerName Iron Wall Siege
GameType Siege
GamePassword
AdminPassword replace-with-a-long-password
MaxNumberOfPlayers 80
MinNumberOfPlayersForMatchStart 4
MapTimeLimit 30
CultureTeam1 vlandia
CultureTeam2 sturgia
AllowPollsToKickPlayers True
WelcomeMessage No ladder griefing. Discord in server name.
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_003
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_005
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_siege_map_007_battania
enable_automated_battle_switching
start_game_and_mission
Complete example: a private Duel server
ServerName Honor Duels
GameType Duel
GamePassword duel2026
AdminPassword replace-with-a-long-password
MaxNumberOfPlayers 24
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_duel_001
add_map_to_automated_battle_pool mp_duel_mode_map_004
enable_automated_battle_switching
start_game_and_mission
Admin while the server runs
Right click the server in the Custom Server List, choose Join as Admin, and enter the AdminPassword. The admin panel then sits in the Escape menu, where you can change the map or mode, kick and ban players. Changes made there last until the next restart; put permanent ones in the config file.
Mistakes that break a config
- No start command. Without
start_game_and_mission(orstart_game) the server never appears. - Mode and map mismatch. Skirmish maps for a Siege server, or the reverse.
- File in the wrong folder. It must be in
Modules\Native. - Empty file. If your config is blank or holds an error page, copy a
ds_config_*.txtsample and start from that.
If the server still does not list, work through our fix for a Bannerlord custom server not showing.
On a GamezServers server
A Bannerlord server on GamezServers reads tdm_config.txt in Modules/Native. Despite the name it can run any mode: change GameType and the maps. Edit it in the file manager or over SFTP, restart from the panel, and watch the live console for lines it rejects. Take a one click backup of a config that works before you experiment. Our server type loads the official Native and Multiplayer modules, so plan on official maps and modes. New to all this? Start with how to host a Bannerlord dedicated server.
FAQ
Where is the Bannerlord server config file?
In Modules\Native inside the server folder. The launch argument /dedicatedcustomserverconfigfile names which file the server reads.
How do I change the game mode on a Bannerlord server?
Change GameType, replace the maps with IDs for that mode, and restart.
How do I add maps to the rotation?
Add one add_map_to_automated_battle_pool <map id> line per map and include enable_automated_battle_switching.
How do I become admin on my Bannerlord server?
Set AdminPassword in the config, then right click the server in the Custom Server List, choose Join as Admin and enter it.
Skip the setup. Your own Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord server.
Then $9.99/mo. Just trying it? $2.50 for 3 days
Minecraft