Hire a mercenary scout to instantly reveal an unexplored node in the 4x402 strategy game via USDC micropayment.
What it does
This endpoint is part of 4x402, an async multiplayer 4X strategy game built for the Farcaster community where four players compete to dominate a network of interconnected nodes. The `/mercs/scout` endpoint lets a player hire a mercenary scout using USDC via the x402 protocol. According to the game docs, the Scout mercenary costs $0.25 USDC and instantly reveals one unexplored node on the game map, bypassing the normal 2-tick delay of the in-game scout action.
The endpoint is scoped to a specific game instance (identified by the UUID in the path). It accepts POST requests and is gated by an x402 payment challenge on the Base network, requiring up to 250,000 units of USDC (0x8335…2913, which is USDC on Base with 6 decimals, equaling $0.25). Payment is made via the `X-PAYMENT` header using the x402 exact payment scheme. The response is JSON, though the exact response schema is not documented beyond the x402 challenge metadata.
4x402 uses a fog-of-war mechanic where unexplored nodes are hidden until scouted. The mercenary scout provides an instant tactical advantage—critical for early-game map awareness or late-game espionage—at a real monetary cost. All mercenary actions are distinct from normal in-game actions and resolve immediately rather than waiting for the tick system.
Capabilities
Use cases
- —Instantly reveal an unexplored node's stats and type during a 4x402 game
- —Gain early-game map awareness by paying $0.25 USDC instead of spending 2 ticks and 5,000 in-game credits
- —Automate scouting via an AI agent that pays for mercenary scouts when strategic conditions are met
- —Integrate with a Farcaster bot that scouts nodes on behalf of a player
Fit
Best for
- —Players in active 4x402 games who want instant node reveals
- —AI agents managing 4x402 game strategy with real micropayments
- —Developers building automated game bots on the x402 protocol
Not for
- —General-purpose map or geospatial data retrieval
- —Users without USDC on Base network
- —Use outside of an active 4x402 game session (endpoint is game-instance-scoped)
Quick start
curl -X POST \
https://4x402.com/api/games/94f86a91-9a2d-4cea-b19f-552d3ccd939c/mercs/scout \
-H 'X-PAYMENT: <x402-payment-token>' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'Endpoint
Quality
The endpoint is live with a valid 402 challenge and the game docs clearly describe the Scout mercenary's function and cost. However, there is no OpenAPI spec, no documented request/response body schema, and no usage examples beyond the x402 challenge metadata. The game-instance-scoped UUID means this endpoint is only useful within an active game.
Warnings
- —No request or response body schema documented; exact payload structure is unknown
- —Endpoint is scoped to a specific game instance UUID—may not be valid after the game ends
- —No OpenAPI or formal API documentation available (the /api path returns 404)
- —The x402 challenge description field is empty, providing no additional context
Citations
- —Scout mercenary costs $0.25 USDC and reveals 1 unexplored node instantlyhttps://4x402.com/docs
- —Normal scout action costs 5,000 credits and takes 2 tickshttps://4x402.com/docs
- —Mercenaries are hired using USDC via the x402 protocol and provide powerful, instant effectshttps://4x402.com/docs
- —x402 challenge requires maxAmountRequired of 250000 units of USDC on Base networkhttps://4x402.com/api/games/94f86a91-9a2d-4cea-b19f-552d3ccd939c/mercs/scout
- —4x402 is an async multiplayer strategy game built for the Farcaster community with 4 players and 10-minute tickshttps://4x402.com