---
title: "How to Set Up a Jailbreak Server (CS 1.6)"
excerpt: "Turn a standard AMX Mod X server into a Jailbreak server with the warden system, jail maps, and the friendly-fire and team-ratio cvars the mode needs."
category: "installation"
tags: "jailbreak, mods"
image: ""
read_time: "8 min read"
---
<p>Jailbreak (JB) is a roleplay gamemode layered on top of CS 1.6: the CT team are prison guards, one of them becomes the <em>Warden</em> who issues orders, and the T team are prisoners who must obey or get shot. It is not a separate mod DLL &mdash; it runs entirely as AMX Mod X plugins on an otherwise standard server, plus jail maps and some cvar tuning. This guide gets a working Jailbreak server running.</p>
<h2>1. Start from a working AMXX server</h2>
<p>Jailbreak needs AMX Mod X in place first. If you have not installed it, follow <a href="/tutorials/install-amx-mod-x-1-9">the AMX Mod X 1.9 guide</a> so that <code>amxx plugins</code> reports plugins loading before you add anything Jailbreak-specific. Everything below assumes <code>addons/amxmodx/</code> exists and works.</p>
<h2>2. Install the Jailbreak plugin set</h2>
<p>A Jailbreak setup is a bundle of plugins that add the warden system, day and minigame commands, cell-door control and prisoner rules. Drop the compiled <code>.amxx</code> files into the plugins folder:</p>
<pre>cd addons/amxmodx
cp jailbreak.amxx plugins/
cp warden.amxx plugins/</pre>
<p>Then add them to <code>addons/amxmodx/configs/plugins.ini</code>, one line each. Our <a href="/plugins/csb-jailbreak-tools">CSB Jailbreak Tools</a> pack provides the warden, cell control and basic prisoner rules as a single maintained set, and the <a href="/plugins/csb-jail-days-menu">CSB Jail Days Menu</a> adds the classic "day" minigames as a menu the warden opens. Load order matters &mdash; keep the core Jailbreak plugin above its add-ons; see <a href="/tutorials/plugins-ini-load-order">plugins.ini load order</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Add jail maps</h2>
<p>Jailbreak is played on purpose-built maps, conventionally prefixed <code>jail_</code> or <code>jb_</code>, with cells, an armoury, and minigame rooms. Put the <code>.bsp</code> files in <code>cstrike/maps/</code> and list them in your <a href="/tutorials/setup-server-cfg-cs16">server config and mapcycle</a>. A server running de_dust2 is not a Jailbreak server no matter which plugins are loaded &mdash; the mode depends on map geometry. If you host custom maps, make sure they download via <a href="/tutorials/fix-fastdl-not-working">FastDL</a>.</p>
<h2>4. Tune the ruleset cvars</h2>
<p>Jailbreak plays completely differently from standard CS, and a few cvars in <code>server.cfg</code> are what make it feel right:</p>
<pre>mp_friendlyfire 1
mp_autoteambalance 0
mp_limitteams 0
mp_freezetime 0
mp_buytime 0.25
mp_startmoney 0</pre>
<p><code>mp_friendlyfire 1</code> is essential &mdash; guards need to shoot disobedient prisoners, and rebelling prisoners need it too. Disabling auto team-balance and team limits stops the engine reshuffling the deliberately lopsided guard/prisoner split. Zeroed start money and near-zero buytime keep prisoners unarmed until they earn or steal weapons.</p>
<h2>5. Set the team ratio</h2>
<p>Jailbreak wants many prisoners and few guards &mdash; roughly one guard per three or four prisoners. With <code>mp_limitteams 0</code> and <code>mp_autoteambalance 0</code> the engine will not force a balance, but you still want a cap on guards so a dozen people do not all pick CT. Most Jailbreak plugin sets expose a cvar for the maximum number of guards:</p>
<pre>jb_maxguards 3</pre>
<p>Check the exact cvar name against the plugin you installed &mdash; it varies between sets. The <a href="/plugins/csb-jailbreak-tools">CSB Jailbreak Tools</a> readme lists its own guard-limit cvar.</p>
<h2>6. Give the warden the tools</h2>
<p>The warden system is the heart of the mode: one guard claims warden, gets a menu to open cells, and calls days. Confirm the warden command works &mdash; typically a chat command such as <code>/warden</code> &mdash; and that the days menu opens. With the <a href="/plugins/csb-jail-days-menu">CSB Jail Days Menu</a> the warden types the menu command and picks freeday, warday, hide-and-seek and the rest. If no one can claim warden, the plugin is not loaded or the map lacks the entities it hooks.</p>
<h2>Troubleshooting</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Guards cannot damage prisoners</strong> &mdash; <code>mp_friendlyfire</code> is <code>0</code>. Set it to <code>1</code>; without it Jailbreak does not work.</li>
<li><strong>Teams keep auto-balancing back to even</strong> &mdash; <code>mp_autoteambalance 1</code> or <code>mp_limitteams</code> non-zero. Set both to <code>0</code> and use the plugin's guard-limit cvar instead.</li>
<li><strong>No one can become warden</strong> &mdash; the warden plugin is missing from <code>plugins.ini</code> or failed to load. Check <code>amxx plugins</code> for a <code>bad load</code> line.</li>
<li><strong>Cells will not open</strong> &mdash; the map is not a real jail map, or its door entities are named in a way the plugin does not hook. Test on a known-good <code>jail_</code> map first.</li>
<li><strong>Prisoners spawn with guns</strong> &mdash; <code>mp_startmoney</code> and <code>mp_buytime</code> are at defaults. Zero the money and cut buytime.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Verification</h2>
<p>Load a <code>jail_</code> map, run <code>amxx plugins</code> and confirm every Jailbreak plugin reads <code>running</code>. Join CT, claim warden, open the days menu and start a freeday &mdash; the prisoners' cells should open. Switch to T and confirm you spawn unarmed with no buy money. Finally shoot a teammate to confirm friendly fire is on. When all three behave, the mode is configured; from here you tune the specific rules in each plugin's config under <code>addons/amxmodx/configs/</code>.</p>