How to Host an OpenRA Tiberian Dawn Server (C&C GDI vs Nod)

To host an OpenRA Tiberian Dawn server, run OpenRA's dedicated server with the mod set to cnc (Tiberian Dawn's internal ID), give it a name, and open TCP port 1234. On Linux the Tiberian Dawn AppImage starts a server with --server; on Windows you edit and run launch-dedicated.cmd. The one Tiberian Dawn specific trap: the stock launch scripts default to Red Alert (Mod=ra), so if you skip that line your friends land in an Allies vs Soviets lobby instead of GDI vs Nod.

Before you start

Tiberian Dawn in OpenRA is the 1995 Command & Conquer rebuilt on a modern engine: attack move, proper unit control, observers, replays and online lobbies. A dedicated server is a headless lobby that relays orders between players. It does not render anything and needs very little: a single Tiberian Dawn lobby runs comfortably in 1 GB of memory.

What you need:

The server does not need the original C&C art and audio. Only players do, and the game installs it for them on first launch. If a friend is stuck on that screen, see OpenRA Tiberian Dawn content install fix.

Step 1: Pick the release

OpenRA ships stable releases and playtests. The current stable release is release-20250330, and a playtest from February 2026 (playtest-20260222) is out with newer features. Players on a playtest cannot join a stable server and the reverse, so decide as a group which one you run, then use the same build on the server. Most groups should stay on stable.

Step 2a: Linux with the AppImage

Download the Tiberian Dawn AppImage for your release from the OpenRA GitHub releases page, then:

chmod +x OpenRA-Tiberian-Dawn-x86_64.AppImage
./OpenRA-Tiberian-Dawn-x86_64.AppImage --server \
  Server.Name="Tiberium Fields" \
  Server.ListenPort=1234 \
  Server.AdvertiseOnline=True \
  Server.Password="" \
  Server.EnableSingleplayer=False

The Tiberian Dawn AppImage already knows its mod, so there is no Game.Mod to set. When the console prints Master server communication established., the server is listed online. On a small VPS without FUSE, extract the AppImage with --appimage-extract and run ./squashfs-root/AppRun --server with the same options.

Step 2b: Windows with launch-dedicated.cmd

The Windows install includes launch-dedicated.cmd, an example script. Copy it, open it in Notepad and change the top lines:

set Name="Tiberium Fields"
set Mod=cnc
set ListenPort=1234
set AdvertiseOnline=True
set Password=""
set EnableSingleplayer=False

set Mod=cnc is the line that matters. The example ships with set Mod=ra, which starts a Red Alert server. The script's command calls bin\OpenRA.Server.exe; in an installed copy of OpenRA, the OpenRA wiki says to drop the bin\ prefix and adjust Engine.EngineDir to match. The script loops, so the server restarts itself after a crash. Close the window to stop it.

Linux users running from a source build can do the same with the shell script by overriding the mod:

Mod="cnc" Name="Tiberium Fields" ./launch-dedicated.sh

Step 3: Open TCP 1234

OpenRA lobbies use TCP, not UDP. Forward TCP 1234 on your router to the machine running the server and allow it through the firewall. The router steps are in how to port forward a game server. If the forward is wrong, the server log says Server port is not accessible from the internet. and the lobby will not show in the browser. Fixes for that and for version errors are in OpenRA server not showing or incompatible version.

Step 4: Join and take admin

1. Launch OpenRA and choose Tiberian Dawn.
2. Click Multiplayer. Find your server in the browser, or click Direct Connect and enter your-ip:1234.
3. The first person to join an empty dedicated lobby becomes its admin. That player picks the map, adds bots and sets options. If the admin leaves, the player who has been in the lobby longest takes over.
4. Everyone readies up and the admin starts the game.

If a friend with the Red Alert mod active connects, OpenRA offers to switch mods for them with This server is running a different mod: Switch mods and join server? Clicking Switch is fine.

Settings worth setting

Every other option is covered in OpenRA dedicated server settings explained. In-lobby choices such as starting cash, tech level, crates and the Tiberian Dawn only Stealth Deliveries option are set by the admin, not the server, and are explained in OpenRA Tiberian Dawn lobby options explained.

Keeping it up

A server on your desktop is only there when your desktop is on and nobody restarts it for updates. For a weekly game night that might be enough. For a clan or a coaching group that wants a lobby that is simply there, it is easier to put it somewhere that stays up.

A GamezServers OpenRA Tiberian Dawn server installs the current stable Tiberian Dawn release for you and runs it with the right mod already set. Server name, Public Server, password, Enable Singleplayer, GeoIP and anonymized IPs are fields in the control panel. You get your own address with nothing to forward, a live console, and Sleep when empty for groups that only play on weekends: it stops after 4 days with nobody on and wakes with one click. The 1 GB plan covers a private lobby, and friends can split the bill.

FAQ

What is the mod ID for Tiberian Dawn in OpenRA?

cnc. Red Alert is ra and Dune 2000 is d2k. The Tiberian Dawn AppImage sets it for you.

Does the server need the original Command & Conquer files?

No. Only players need the game content, and OpenRA can download the base files from the 2007 freeware release on first launch.

What port does an OpenRA Tiberian Dawn server use?

TCP 1234 by default. Change it with Server.ListenPort and have players add the port when they Direct Connect.

How many players fit on a Tiberian Dawn server?

The map decides the player slots. Spectators can join on top of that.

Can I play against bots on my own server?

Yes. The lobby admin can add Cabal, Watson or HAL 9001 bots to open slots, and with Server.EnableSingleplayer=True one player can start a match alone against them.