THEATRE - SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
OVERHAUL MOD // ARMA REFORGER
BUSHWAR - Africa Cold War Arma Reforger Community
A community-led overhaul mod for the Cold War conflicts of Sub-Saharan Africa - the wars history almost forgot.
REFORGED EXPERIENCEfought their war by proxy across southern Africa.
Now the savannah holds its breath again. Fireforce spools up on the airstrip, razor wire goes back across the border, and a guerrilla column moves under cover of dusk. Helicopters thud over the kopjes, ambushes wait on roads that lead nowhere, and cross-border raids burn through nights no government will ever claim. The fight for a fading world is about to begin again, on the frontiers history almost forgot, and the time has come to choose a side…
Built in the open,
noticed by the people who matter
BUSHWAR is an Arma Reforger community dedicated to depicting Cold War conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa: the South African Border Wars, the Rhodesian Bush War, and Portugal's Colonial War.
Our goal is to highlight historically underrepresented conflicts that shaped the modern world, and to explore how the kit, vehicles, and tactics translate into gameplay.
No political affiliations. We do not seek to glorify any participants in the conflicts which we portray. Historical depiction only, within Arma Reforger.
REC 02 - RHODESIA, 0641HRSThree wars that
shaped southern Africa
Rhodesian Bush War
Counter-insurgency by the Rhodesian Security Forces against ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrillas. Fireforce tactics, the Selous Scouts, and the bush itself as a weapon.
READ BRIEFING →South African Border War
SADF operations across South West Africa and Angola against SWAPO and Cuban-backed MPLA forces. Mechanised columns, Ratel sweeps, and cross-border raids.
READ BRIEFING →Portugal's Colonial War
Portuguese counter-insurgency across Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. Three theatres, three insurgencies, one fading empire.
READ BRIEFING →Community Timeline
Project Dingo Released
Pronto releases the Rhodesian Bush War overhaul mod, the foundation of BUSHWAR.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →First BUSHWAR Server Launched
Chaz stands up the first BUSHWAR PVE server. The community goes live.
South African Uniforms
Springbok releases period-accurate SADF uniforms for the border war.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →Alouette III Released
Built in collaboration with the FRM team. Rotors over the bush at last.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →BUSHWAR Battalion Established
A MILSIM unit stands up for players wanting a more structured experience.
BUSHWAR Parachutes
The first airborne system drops in - temperamental canopies and all.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →COMRAD #20 Recognition
BUSHWAR and FRM recognised for the Alouette III in Bohemia Interactive’s official newsletter.
READ DISPATCH →Malvian Props Pack
Malvia releases his BUSHWAR props pack, enabling the whole community to build.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →BI Photo Contest Feature
BUSHWAR featured in Bohemia Interactive’s official screenshot competition.
READ DISPATCH →Most Engaged Post of All Time
BUSHWAR featured officially across all Bohemia Interactive social platforms, becoming Arma Reforger’s most engaged official post of all time.
VIEW POST →Pronto’s Parachutes
Pronto returns with a working T-10 static-line parachute. Airborne operations, for real this time.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →Casspir MPV
Springbok and Joe release the Casspir, the border war’s legendary mine-protected vehicle.
VIEW ON WORKSHOP →Why Play
Unique Assets & Conflicts
$3,000+ of custom-commissioned kit, vehicles, and maps, built for wars no other mod even touches.
Regular Updates & Support
New maps, assets, and fixes shipped continuously. Active dev team, responsive admins, no abandonware.
Community & Belonging
1,000+ players a week. Find a section, earn a callsign, belong to something bigger than a scoreboard.
Achievements & Stat Tracking
Link your gamertag. Every kill, death, and shot logged. Earn decorations, climb the live leaderboard.
Milsim Ops · PvP · PvE
Structured battalion operations or drop-in firefights. AI insurgents or live enemies. Fight your war, your way.
For History Nerds & Milsim Heads
Obsessive period accuracy meets Arma Reforger gameplay. Built for people who care about both, not one or the other.
The only place to fight the Bush Wars in a modern game
Rhodesia. The South African Border War. Portugal's African campaigns. No other studio, mod, or server brings these conflicts to a current-gen battlefield. If you want to play them, this is the only ground there is.
In-Game
Frequently Asked
Is there a Rhodesian Bush War video game?
There's no standalone Rhodesian Bush War title, but you can play the war right now through BUSHWAR - a free community overhaul mod for Arma Reforger, Bohemia Interactive's current-generation military game on PC and Xbox. It adds period Rhodesian kit, vehicles, maps, and full Fireforce operations.
What game can you play the Rhodesian Bush War in?
Arma Reforger, using the free BUSHWAR overhaul mod. Reforger's Enfusion engine and modding tools let the community recreate the 1964-1979 conflict in detail - something no mainstream studio has built as a dedicated game.
Can you play as Rhodesia in a video game?
Yes. In BUSHWAR you can serve in the Rhodesian Security Forces - the Rhodesian Light Infantry, the SAS, and Fireforce heliborne troops - or take the other side as ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrillas.
Is there a South African Border War or Portuguese Colonial War game?
Both are playable in BUSHWAR alongside the Rhodesian Bush War. It's the only project bringing all three of Southern Africa's Cold War conflicts to a modern video game.
Is BUSHWAR free?
BUSHWAR is a free, non-profit community mod. You need a copy of Arma Reforger; the mod and our PvP and PvE servers are free to join via Discord.