Arma Reforger Update 1.8 Adds Better Camouflage and AI

Arma Reforger Update 1.8 is available now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, introducing a new Far Hide system, improved concealment against AI and meaningful advantages for specialist squad roles. The major update also adds Xbox Play Anywhere support, deployable razor wire, coloured smoke grenades, new animations and an extensive collection of stability fixes.

Released on 13 August 2026 as version 1.8.0.10, the update focuses on making concealment, teamwork and battlefield roles more effective. Players hiding in distant grass should no longer become clearly visible when vegetation stops rendering, while grass and camouflage nets can now interfere with enemy AI vision.

It may not contain a new map or faction, but many of its changes directly affect how firefights, fortifications, medical support and logistics work across Arma Reforger.

Arma Reforger Update 1.8 at a glance

The official update and accompanying changelog confirm that version 1.8.0.10 has been released across Steam, PlayStation and Xbox. The game is also now available through the Microsoft Store with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Watch the Arma Reforger Update 1.8 trailer

Bohemia Interactive released a new trailer demonstrating the major features included in the update.

Watch the Arma Reforger 1.8 update trailer for a closer look at the latest military equipment, gameplay changes and new content.

The trailer highlights the new concealment system, specialist advantages, field fortifications and additional tactical options. It provides a much clearer demonstration of Far Hide than screenshots alone because the feature is designed to change how characters appear over longer distances.

Far Hide makes long-distance concealment more effective

The biggest addition in Arma Reforger Update 1.8 is the first version of the new Far Hide system.

Previously, a player lying in long grass could be well concealed at close range but clearly exposed to someone observing from hundreds of metres away. This happened because distant vegetation stopped rendering while the character remained visible.

Far Hide attempts to correct this by helping distant characters blend into areas covered by grass. A soldier lying motionless in a field should therefore be more difficult to identify from approximately 750 metres away.

This should reduce the unfair advantage gained when vegetation disappears at long distances or when players lower particular graphics settings. It also makes prone positioning more useful for reconnaissance, ambushes and avoiding enemy marksmen.

Bohemia Interactive describes this implementation as the first iteration of Far Hide, meaning its appearance and effectiveness could receive further adjustments in future patches.

Grass and camouflage nets now obstruct AI vision

Concealment has also been improved when fighting AI-controlled soldiers.

Grass and camouflage nets can now obstruct AI vision, making it more difficult for computer-controlled enemies to detect and continuously track concealed players. Vegetation should therefore provide more than visual cover against human opponents.

Before Arma Reforger Update 1.8, players could feel as though AI soldiers were able to see through foliage that clearly obscured their own view. The new system should make breaking line of sight more reliable, particularly when crawling through grass or retreating behind a camouflaged position.

Friendly AI squads can also mark identified targets on the map, improving battlefield awareness and making AI-controlled allies more useful during coordinated operations.

The update does not make soldiers invisible whenever they enter vegetation. Movement, exposure, distance and an enemy’s viewing position will still matter. However, grass and camouflage should now provide a more believable level of concealment.

A US soldier advances across open terrain during combat in the Arma Reforger 1.8 Update.

Specialist roles now have meaningful advantages

Several specialist roles can perform relevant battlefield actions faster than ordinary soldiers.

The changes provide greater incentive to select the right person for a particular task rather than treating squad roles as largely interchangeable.

Medics can treat and move casualties faster

Medics can now apply bandages and tourniquets more quickly, inspect wounded soldiers faster and use medical kits more efficiently.

They also receive an advantage when loading casualties into vehicles. This should make organised medical evacuation more practical and give the Medic a clearer purpose within a squad.

Engineers can build fortifications faster

Engineers and Sappers now construct structures and assemble deployable equipment faster than other soldiers.

This advantage should become particularly useful when establishing a defensive position under pressure or repairing battlefield infrastructure before an enemy assault arrives.

Logistics personnel can handle supplies faster

Logistics personnel can load and unload supplies more quickly.

Supply delivery is an essential part of prolonged Conflict matches, so reducing the time needed to transfer resources gives dedicated logistics players a practical advantage.

Vehicle crews receive faster servicing

Vehicle crew members can repair, refuel and rearm vehicles faster than regular infantry.

This should reduce downtime for organised armoured units while rewarding players who use the appropriate crew role.

Together, these changes make squad composition more important in Arma Reforger Update 1.8.

US troops gather beside a military helicopter as multiple aircraft fly overhead in the Arma Reforger 1.8 Update.

Fortification building is more convenient

Constructing field fortifications should now require less inventory management.

Players previously had to place every required sandbag on the ground before beginning construction. Under the new system, only one needs to be available when deployment starts. Any remaining materials can be taken directly from the builder’s inventory.

This removes an awkward preparation stage without eliminating the material requirements.

Mobile Operating Base construction is also no longer automatically blocked by the presence of nearby enemies. Players can continue establishing a position during combat, although they will naturally remain vulnerable while building.

Deployable razor wire has been added

Players can now deploy razor wire using a system similar to sandbags and mounted weapons.

Razor wire provides engineers with another way to:

• Block exposed routes
• Slow infantry advances
• Protect fortifications
• Funnel opponents towards an ambush
• Restrict access to important positions

It can cause damage when soldiers attempt to move through it, making placement important. A well-positioned barrier could force attacking players into a more exposed route or delay them long enough for defenders to respond.

US troops assemble beside a line of military helicopters at a forward base in the Arma Reforger 1.8 Update.

PKMN machine guns can use the 6T5 tripod

The Soviet PKMN machine gun can now be mounted on the 6T5 tripod, both with and without the 1P29 optic.

Mounted light and heavy machine guns also receive recoil as part of the update. Bohemia Interactive has additionally introduced simple zeroing up to one kilometre for the M2HB.

These changes should make mounted weapons feel more physical while providing additional flexibility when creating defensive positions.

New smoke grenades and improved mortar smoke

US grenadiers now have access to underbarrel smoke grenades in several colours.

Coloured smoke can be used to screen movement, identify landing zones, mark enemy locations or coordinate an attack without relying entirely on radio communication.

Smoke mortar rounds have also been adjusted to remain effective for longer. This gives mortar teams more time to cover an infantry advance, obscure a withdrawal or disrupt enemy observation.

The change makes smoke a more dependable tactical tool rather than a short-lived visual effect.

US troops move through a busy military supply base filled with vehicles, equipment and supplies in the Arma Reforger 1.8 Update.

Tactical gestures and idle animations added

Arma Reforger Update 1.8 expands non-verbal communication with new tactical gesture animations.

These provide additional ways for squad members to communicate visually, which can be useful when radio silence is important or when players do not share a voice channel.

More relaxed animations have also been introduced. Players can:

• Sit on the ground
• Perform push-ups
• Smoke
• Use additional idle or loitering animations

These gestures will probably be particularly popular with military role-playing communities, machinima creators and Game Master events.

Running barefoot can now injure players

Players who lose or remove their boots will face actual gameplay consequences.

Running barefoot can damage a character’s feet and carries a small chance of causing them to stumble and fall. The change gives footwear a practical purpose beyond character appearance.

It is a relatively small addition, but it suits Arma Reforger’s emphasis on detailed soldier simulation. Players escaping from captivity or using unusual custom loadouts will need to consider the condition of their feet.

US troops engage enemy forces during a close-quarters firefight in the Arma Reforger 1.8 Update.

Dying now removes rank progression points

Deaths now cost players 30 rank progression points.

The penalty encourages players to value survival and may discourage reckless attacks during Conflict matches. It also makes medical support and casualty recovery more meaningful.

There are two important protections:

• Friendly-fire deaths do not remove points from the victim
• Dying does not automatically turn a player into a Renegade

The change could prove controversial among players who prefer a more forgiving progression system, but it reinforces Arma Reforger’s focus on careful positioning and teamwork.

Improved Game Master and administrator controls

Server administrators and Game Masters receive several useful management improvements.

An administrator can now:

• Teleport the editor camera directly to a player
• Promote players through the Player List
• Demote players through the Player List

These controls should make it easier to investigate problems, manage organised events and respond to player behaviour without manually locating someone on a large map.

The Game Master interface will also no longer automatically open while a character is being controlled during save-point creation.

Arma Reforger arrives on the Microsoft Store

Arma Reforger is now available through the Microsoft Store with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

A single digital purchase can provide access across supported Xbox consoles and Windows PC. Players using compatible platforms can move between them without purchasing separate Microsoft Store and Xbox versions.

There are some limitations:

• The Microsoft Store version does not include Arma Reforger Tools or Workbench
• Handheld devices cannot locally host servers

Players who intend to create mods will therefore still require access to the appropriate PC development tools.

Soviet troops move across the countryside at sunset during a patrol in Arma Reforger.

Does Arma Reforger Update 1.8 affect mods?

Yes. The update introduces several changes that mod creators may need to consider.

Far Hide requires terrain creators to compile normal maps containing the appropriate grass-coverage information. Materials used for uniforms, weapons and other objects may also require the Enable Far Hiding property.

Modded character prefabs that add or replace footwear may need updating because Bohemia Interactive changed the class used for the boots loadout slot.

The update also exposes new scripting functionality for:

• Player List actions
• AI activation
• Custom animation data
• Navigation links
• Game observers
• World configuration
• Vehicle engine behaviour
• Resource-system replication

Players should expect some complex mods to require updates following the move to version 1.8. Server owners should test their mod lists before restarting public servers.

Server owners receive new configuration options

One particularly useful addition allows server owners to change the minimum number of players required to contest a position.

Base contesting can also be disabled entirely through the server configuration and mission header. This provides more control for community servers using custom Conflict rules or heavily modified scenarios.

Other multiplayer and server-related fixes address:

• Empty private groups blocking the creation of new groups
• Supply counts failing to update
• Base-capture speed calculations
• Ambient vehicles disappearing after loading a save
• Faction commanders reconnecting
• Group reconnection periods
• Saved radio-backpack loadouts
• Supply exploits involving arsenals

Administrators should review their configuration and mod compatibility before deploying Arma Reforger Update 1.8 to an established community server.

A military convoy comes under attack while helicopters operate overhead in Arma Reforger.

Stability and performance improvements

The complete version 1.8.0.10 changelog contains numerous crash, memory and performance fixes.

Areas addressed include:

• AI pathfinding
• Navigation meshes
• Voice over Network
• Save data
• Vehicle simulation
• Vehicle collisions
• Turret entry and exit
• Character physics
• Door management
• User actions
• Procedural animations
• Map interface performance
• Memory leaks
• Dynamic simulation

Xbox also receives memory optimisation related to gamepad effects. Instead of spawning these effects for every character, the game now creates them only when needed for the player character.

Bohemia Interactive has also removed an explosion effect associated with fragmentation, reducing the number of entities created when helicopters fire rocket salvos.

These technical changes may not be as immediately visible as Far Hide or razor wire, but they could have a considerable effect on longer multiplayer sessions.

Other important changes in version 1.8.0.10

The update includes many smaller additions, fixes and balancing adjustments:

• C4 can be attached to helicopter rotors
• Vehicle arsenals no longer provide refunds
• Mortar-shell supply costs have been reduced
• 82mm Soviet mortar shells cost less than 81mm US shells
• Helicopter rotors properly damage characters
• Small bushes and smoke grenades should no longer destroy helicopter rotors
• Grenades should no longer overwrite another grenade slot
• Mine fragmentation has been reduced over long distances
• The TM-62M mine now has the correct explosive filler
• Vehicle wheels should no longer disappear at a distance after being repaired
• Players should no longer become stuck in the driver’s seat
• Soviet sharpshooter and machine-gunner loadouts have been corrected
• Flags now turn in the direction of the wind
• Base-capture notifications have been restored
• Vehicle decommissioning is restricted to friendly bases
• The command vehicle allows eligible players to volunteer as commander
• A small FIA camouflage net can now be built
• FIA forces should no longer capture radio relays when they are not permitted to capture bases

The full list is available through Bohemia Interactive’s official Arma Reforger 1.8.0.10 changelog.

US troops deploy from a helicopter during an operation in the Arma Reforger 1.8 Update.

Is Arma Reforger Update 1.8 worth returning for?

Arma Reforger Update 1.8 does not deliver the kind of headline content found in an update containing a new terrain, faction or collection of vehicles. Its importance comes from how it improves existing systems.

Far Hide addresses a longstanding problem affecting realistic long-distance concealment. Improved AI vision makes vegetation and camouflage more believable, while specialist advantages give players stronger reasons to build a properly organised squad.

The new fortification tools, smoke options and admin controls should also benefit organised multiplayer communities.

Players expecting an entirely new battlefield may find the update comparatively modest. Those who regularly play tactical multiplayer, PvE operations or modded community scenarios are more likely to notice its improvements.

With Arma Reforger Update 1.8 now available across PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Bohemia Interactive says it will continue refining features and releasing fixes over the coming weeks and months.

Useful links

• Official Arma Reforger Update 1.8 announcement
• Official version 1.8.0.10 changelog
• Official Arma Reforger website
• Arma Reforger Dev Hub
• Arma Reforger Feedback Tracker
• Arma Reforger Workshop
• Arma Reforger on Steam

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