Battlefield 1942 server

Run with Docker

First install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin on your Linux host. Run the commands below as a user allowed to access Docker; otherwise prefix Docker commands with sudo. The container manages its own linuxgsm user.

The bf1942 image has LinuxGSM and every dependency for Battlefield 1942 already installed on Ubuntu 26.04. On first start it downloads the game server, then keeps it updated.

1. Create docker-compose.yml

Give the server a directory of its own and create the file inside it. Docker Compose looks for docker-compose.yml in the directory you run it from, so run every docker compose command below from this directory. Each server needs its own directory.

mkdir -p ~/docker/bf1942server
cd ~/docker/bf1942server
nano docker-compose.yml

Paste in one of the files below, then save and exit (in nano: CTRL+o, Enter, CTRL+x). The server's files will be stored in ~/docker/bf1942server/bf1942server, next to docker-compose.yml.

services:
  bf1942server:
    image: ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:bf1942
    container_name: bf1942server
    restart: unless-stopped
    network_mode: host
    volumes:
      - ./bf1942server:/data
    environment:
      - UPDATE_CHECK=60

services:
  bf1942server:
    image: ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:bf1942
    container_name: bf1942server
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "14567:14567/udp"
      - "23000:23000/udp"
    volumes:
      - ./bf1942server:/data
    environment:
      - UPDATE_CHECK=60

Also published on Docker Hub as gameservermanagers/gameserver:bf1942. Prefer docker run? See Docker help.

2. Start it

cd ~/docker/bf1942server
docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f

The first start installs the server, which can take a while for large games. When it is ready the log shows the server details, including ports and passwords.

Ports

With host networking the server uses the host's ports directly. With bridge networking the compose file above publishes them. Either way, open them in your firewall.

These are the defaults. Run details to see every port the server uses and its protocol.

Manage the server

Show details, ports and passwords

docker exec -it --user linuxgsm bf1942server ./bf1942server details

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Open the live console (leave with CTRL+b then d)

docker exec -it --user linuxgsm bf1942server ./bf1942server console

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Restart the game server

docker restart bf1942server

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Update the image

cd ~/docker/bf1942server
docker compose pull && docker compose up -d

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Server files, configs and logs live in ~/docker/bf1942server/bf1942server on the host: back up that directory. Docker help below covers permissions, environment variables and bridge networking.

docker run -d \
  --name bf1942server \
  --network host \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -v "$PWD/bf1942server:/data" \
  -e UPDATE_CHECK=60 \
  ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:bf1942

docker run -d \
  --name bf1942server \
  -p 14567:14567/udp \
  -p 23000:23000/udp \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -v "$PWD/bf1942server:/data" \
  -e UPDATE_CHECK=60 \
  ghcr.io/gameservermanagers/gameserver:bf1942

environment:
      - UID=1001
      - GID=1001

Install on Linux

Install directly on a server running Ubuntu 26.04, Debian 11 or Enterprise Linux 8.

1. Create a user and log in

Creating users and installing system packages require administrator privileges. From your administrator account, use sudo below (omit it if already root). Install curl, tar and an editor such as nano with your distribution's package manager first.

sudo adduser bf1942server

Give the user a strong password, then switch to its login shell:

sudo su - bf1942server

Run all remaining commands as bf1942server from its home directory, without sudo. On Enterprise Linux, create the account with sudo useradd -m bf1942server and set its password with sudo passwd bf1942server instead of adduser.

2. Download LinuxGSM

curl -Lo linuxgsm.sh https://linuxgsm.sh && chmod +x linuxgsm.sh && bash linuxgsm.sh bf1942server

3. Install

./bf1942server install

LinuxGSM checks dependencies and installs the game files. If this user has sudo access, it can install missing packages when prompted. Otherwise, ask an administrator to install the packages listed by LinuxGSM, then rerun this command as bf1942server. Running ./bf1942server install as root only installs dependencies, not the game server.

4. Configure and start the server

Review your LinuxGSM settings in lgsm/config-lgsm/bf1942server/bf1942server.cfg (instance settings) or lgsm/config-lgsm/bf1942server/common.cfg (shared settings). Do not edit _default.cfg, which LinuxGSM updates automatically. Game settings use a separate config file; run ./bf1942server details to find its path. Once configured, start the server explicitly:

./bf1942server start

Ports

Open these ports in your firewall. They are the defaults; run ./bf1942server details to see the ports your server uses.

Common commands

Start the server

start

./bf1942server start

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Stop the server

stop

./bf1942server stop

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Restart the server

restart

./bf1942server restart

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Show details, ports and passwords

./bf1942server details

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Open the live console (leave with CTRL+b then d; CTRL+c stops the server)

./bf1942server console

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Run in the foreground to debug

./bf1942server debug

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Back up the whole server

./bf1942server backup

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List every command

./bf1942server

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Automate with cron

Restart the server if it crashes, apply game updates and keep LinuxGSM current. Add these with crontab -e.

*/5 * * * * /home/bf1942server/bf1942server monitor > /dev/null 2>&1
0 0 * * 0 /home/bf1942server/bf1942server update-lgsm > /dev/null 2>&1

Deploy from a cloud marketplace

LinuxGSM is available as a one-click app on two cloud providers. You get a fresh Ubuntu server with LinuxGSM ready to use, then install Battlefield 1942 on it.

Akamai (Linode) Marketplace

1. Open LinuxGSM on the Akamai Marketplace and start a deploy.
2. Choose a limited sudo username and, under the advanced options, set the game server name to bf1942server.
3. Pick any plan with enough CPU, memory and disk for Battlefield 1942, then create the instance.
4. When it has finished setting up, log in over SSH or the Lish console and read the generated passwords, then switch to the linuxgsm user and install:

cat /home/YOUR_USERNAME/.credentials
su linuxgsm
cd /home/linuxgsm
./bf1942server install

Akamai does not keep this app updated for you, so run ./bf1942server update-lgsm now and then. Details are in the Akamai guide.

DigitalOcean Marketplace

Create a Droplet from the LinuxGSM 1-Click App, choosing a size with enough resources for Battlefield 1942. Log in over SSH and follow the Linux install steps for bf1942server.

Remember to open the game's ports in the provider's cloud firewall as well as on the server.