A multiplayer hidden-information game where every move is a zero-knowledge proof verified by the same Soroban contract that secures Pakana's private payments. Same circuits, same node, same LBX economy. Money or ships — the math is identical.
Dark Armada exists for one reason beyond being fun: to prove that Pakana's protocol is not a single-purpose payments system. The same Groth16/BN254 ZK pipeline that hides a stealth payment recipient also hides a fleet's coordinates. Every move a player makes — scout, jump, engage, fortify — is submitted as a zero-knowledge proof. The PakanaTracker Soroban contract verifies the proof on-chain. The opponent sees that you moved, sees the proof is valid, but cannot see where you went.
If the protocol can hide a fleet's position from a hostile opponent under adversarial conditions, on-chain, in real time, then it can hide a payment recipient from a chain analysis firm. The game is the demonstration. The infrastructure is the product.
Dark Armada is the visible, interactive proof that the Pakana Node generalizes. It is the answer to "show me it works" at the same moment it generates real on-chain transaction volume that counts toward traction metrics. Every game move is a Mainnet transaction. Every match is dozens of verified proofs.
Each action is a self-contained ZK proof. The chain enforces the rules without seeing the secrets.
You commit to a starting position by hashing it with a fresh nonce and posting only the commitment on-chain. Your opponent sees the commitment, never the position.
To move, you generate a Groth16 proof attesting: I know a valid prior position consistent with this commitment, and the new position is a legal jump. The proof is submitted to the PakanaTracker contract.
PakanaTracker uses Stellar Protocol 25's BN254 host functions to verify the proof in a single transaction. If valid, your new commitment becomes the canonical state. If not, the move is rejected by the contract.
At engagement, both players submit reveal proofs that show the actual coordinates and prove they are consistent with every prior move's commitment. Cheating is mathematically impossible without invalidating the entire history.
Each match has an entry fee denominated in LBX. The pool is escrowed in a Soroban contract and released to the winner on a reveal proof. Every move within the match also burns a small per-proof fee distributed to the Primary Node (verification), the Satellite Node (proof submission), and the bounty pool — exactly the same fee split as the private payments protocol. Players who run their own Satellite Node and submit their own proofs earn back the satellite share, creating a genuine incentive to decentralize.
| Action | On-chain footprint | LBX flow |
|---|---|---|
| Match entry | 1 ClaimableBalance per player | Entry fee escrowed |
| Player move | 1 verified proof | Per-proof fee split 1/3 / 1/3 / 1/3 |
| Engagement reveal | 1 reveal proof per side | Standard per-proof fee |
| Match end | 1 settlement transaction | Pool released to winner |
Dark Armada launches as the public demonstration of Pakana's ZK infrastructure. Join the early-access list to get a fleet, an LBX allocation, and first-round invitations.