Is Operation: Harsh Doorstop free to host?

Yes. The game is completely free, and the dedicated server installs anonymously via SteamCMD (app 950900), so anyone can stand up a server with no purchase. That low barrier is a big part of why a community server is worth running.

Does Operation: Harsh Doorstop have a native Linux server?

Yes - unlike many Unreal tactical shooters, O:HD's server files run natively on Linux. LinuxGSM has an ohdserver profile that installs and manages it via SteamCMD, so you do not need Wine.

How do I install Steam Workshop mods on an O:HD server?

This is the step that trips people up: it is a manual copy, not an automatic subscribe. Workshop content downloads to steamapps/workshop/content/736590, and you copy the named mod folder from there into the server's Mods directory to enable it. Get the folder into Mods and the server loads it; skip the copy and nothing happens.

What ports does an Operation: Harsh Doorstop server need?

It uses the standard Unreal game and query port pair plus a Steam port; forward and open them on your firewall and router. If the server runs but does not list, the query port is the usual culprit - the same failure mode as most Unreal-based dedicated servers.

Can I run O:HD on a rented Linux box or do I need Remote Desktop?

Either works. The common setup guides assume a rented machine you reach over Remote Desktop or SSH, but because the Linux server is native and SteamCMD-driven, hosting from your own Linux box with proper port forwarding is fully supported.

server setup

Operation: Harsh Doorstop Dedicated Server 2026: Free, Native Linux & the Workshop Mod-Copy Trick

Operation: Harsh Doorstop is the rare tactical shooter that's free, ships a native Linux server, and supports full Steam Workshop modding. The one thing that trips everyone up: mods don't auto-install - you copy them in by hand. Here's the honest, current setup.

Published 2026-06-22 · Updated 2026-06-22

Why O:HD is an easy hosting win

Operation: Harsh Doorstop is a free, Unreal-powered tactical shooter sandbox built around Steam Workshop content. Two facts make it unusually friendly to self-hosting compared with the milsim tier:

It's free. No purchase to play, and the server installs anonymously - so there's zero cost barrier to standing one up.
The Linux server is native. Unlike Ground Branch or VEIN, you don't fight Wine. SteamCMD pulls a real Linux build, and LinuxGSM manages it.

The playerbase is modest - a few hundred concurrent - but the free, mod-driven, native-Linux combination means a community server is genuinely low-friction. The only sharp edge is mod installation.

Install: SteamCMD or LinuxGSM

The server is a separate Steam app from the game:

Game (client): app 736590
Dedicated server: app 950900 - installs with +login anonymous

Two clean paths:

LinuxGSM. The ohdserver profile installs and manages the server via SteamCMD with simple start/stop/update commands. Easiest for a Linux box.
Raw SteamCMD. Pull app 950900 into a directory and launch the server binary directly. More manual, more control.

Either way you end up with a native Linux server - no Wine prefix, no Windows VM.

The Workshop mod-copy step everyone misses

O:HD is built around Workshop content, but installing mods on the server is a manual copy, not an automatic subscribe - and that surprises people coming from client-side Workshop.

The mod's Workshop content downloads to steamapps/workshop/content/736590/<modID>.
You then copy the named mod folder from there into the server's Mods directory.
The server loads what's in Mods - so if a mod "isn't working," check that you actually copied the folder across.

That's the whole trick. Get the folder into Mods and it loads; skip the copy and nothing happens, no matter how many times you re-subscribe on the client. The official server install wiki documents the exact paths.

Ports and config

O:HD uses the standard Unreal game/query port pair plus a Steam port. Forward and open them on your firewall and router. As with most Unreal-based dedicated servers, the classic failure is a server that runs but never lists - which is almost always the query port not being open.

Config is handled through the server's config files and command-line arguments (LinuxGSM exposes these cleanly); set the server name, map/mode rotation, and any admin settings there.

Self-host vs rent

Self-host on Linux. The natural choice - free game, native Linux server, LinuxGSM to manage it. A cheap VPS handles a small group.
Managed hosts. Several list O:HD (ZAP-Hosting, Legion and others). Renting mainly buys convenience and uptime, since the game itself is free.

Because there's no licensing cost and no Wine, this is one of the lowest-friction tactical shooters to self-host. For the broader decision, see dedicated box vs VPS vs cloud game servers.

FAQ

Is Operation: Harsh Doorstop free to host?: Yes. The game is free and the server installs anonymously via SteamCMD (app 950900), so anyone can host with no purchase.
Does Operation: Harsh Doorstop have a native Linux server?: Yes. Unlike many Unreal tactical shooters, O:HD's server runs natively on Linux. LinuxGSM has an ohdserver profile that installs and manages it via SteamCMD - no Wine.
How do I install Steam Workshop mods on an O:HD server?: It is a manual copy, not an auto-subscribe. Workshop content downloads to steamapps/workshop/content/736590; copy the named mod folder from there into the server's Mods directory. Get the folder into Mods and it loads.
What ports does an O:HD server need?: The standard Unreal game and query ports plus a Steam port - forward and open them. If the server runs but does not list, the query port is the usual culprit.
Can I run O:HD on a rented Linux box or do I need Remote Desktop?: Either works. Guides often assume a rented machine over RDP/SSH, but the native Linux server is SteamCMD-driven, so hosting from your own Linux box with port forwarding is fully supported.