Install a Holdfast: Nations At War dedicated server via SteamCMD (Windows and Linux)

Want to host your own Holdfast: Nations At War server for regiment line battles? This step-by-step guide walks you through installing the official dedicated server via SteamCMD. All commands, App ID and ports verified against the official Holdfast wiki.

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Hardware requirements

A fast single-core CPU matters more than RAM for Holdfast: 150-player line battles heavily tax a primary core.

Step 1 — Download SteamCMD

Windows

1. Download: https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.zip
2. Extract to C:\steamcmd\
3. Run steamcmd.exe once

Linux

sudo apt install lib32gcc-s1 wget unzip -y
mkdir ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
./steamcmd.sh +quit

Step 2 — Install Holdfast server (App ID 1424230)

The dedicated server App ID is 1424230 (not 589290, the game client).

Windows

steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\HoldfastServer\ +login anonymous +app_update 1424230 validate +quit

Linux

./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/holdfast/HoldfastServer/ +login anonymous +app_update 1424230 validate +quit

Download size: ~1 GB.

Step 3 — Open network ports

Holdfast uses 3 UDP ports:

Windows — Admin PowerShell

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Holdfast" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 20100,8700,27000 -Action Allow

Linux — UFW

sudo ufw allow 20100/udp
sudo ufw allow 8700/udp
sudo ufw allow 27000/udp
sudo ufw reload

Forward all 3 UDP ports on your router.

Step 4 — Customize config.json

{
  "server_name": "My Holdfast Server EN",
  "game_mode": "ArmyBattlefield",
  "game_type": "Conquest",
  "max_players": 100,
  "max_reserved_slots": 10,
  "server_message_of_the_day": "Welcome to the EN server!",
  "password": "",
  "admin_password": "ChangeMe123",
  "server_port": 20100,
  "steam_communications_port": 8700,
  "steam_query_port": 27000,
  "network_performance_quality": "High",
  "use_anti_cheat": true,
  "auto_team_balance": true,
  "voip_enabled": true,
  "allow_team_killing": false,
  "friendly_fire_modifier": 0.5,
  "map_rotation": [
    "ConquestLargeBattle_Egypt",
    "ConquestLargeBattle_RussianEstate",
    "ConquestSmallBattle_Mountain"
  ],
  "warmup_duration": 30,
  "round_duration": 1800
}

Step 5 — First start

Windows

@echo off
cd /d "C:\HoldfastServer"
HoldfastNAW_Server.exe -nographics -batchmode -configfilepath "config.json"

Linux

cd /home/holdfast/HoldfastServer
chmod +x HoldfastNAW_Server.x86_64
./HoldfastNAW_Server.x86_64 -nographics -batchmode -configfilepath config.json

Wait for:

Server initialized successfully on port 20100

Step 6 — systemd service (Linux)

Create /etc/systemd/system/holdfast.service:

[Unit]
Description=Holdfast: Nations At War Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=holdfast
WorkingDirectory=/home/holdfast/HoldfastServer
ExecStart=/home/holdfast/HoldfastServer/HoldfastNAW_Server.x86_64 -nographics -batchmode -configfilepath config.json
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo systemctl enable --now holdfast

Step 7 — RCON & admin commands

Connect with admin_password:

Step 8 — Update the server

steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir C:\HoldfastServer\ +app_update 1424230 validate +quit

Critical: client and server versions must match exactly. Update as soon as a patch ships.

FAQ

App ID 589290 vs 1424230?

589290 is the client. 1424230 is the dedicated server, free via anonymous SteamCMD.

Max players?

Officially up to 150 players per server. For 50-100 players, 4 GB RAM is enough; for very active 150-player line battles, plan 8 GB.

Server not showing in browser?

Check: UDP ports 20100, 8700, 27000 open (firewall + router), server_port=20100 in config.json, correct public IP.

How do I change mode (Army/Naval/Conquest/Siege)?

Edit game_mode and game_type in config.json, then restart. Some maps are mode-specific (Naval maps only work in NavalAction).

Does Holdfast support mods?

No — Holdfast doesn’t support server-side mods. Custom line battles go through configuration (map, mode, slots, settings).

Conclusion

You now have a working Holdfast: Nations At War dedicated server. Recommended next steps:

1. Set a strong admin_password in config.json
2. Configure your map rotation for line battles
3. Invite your regiment to the server

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Further reading

• Holdfast hosting from €9.90/month
• Official Holdfast wiki — Server Hosting
• Official Holdfast wiki — Server Configuration