The Argo Moth is a newly released medium salvager ship in Star Citizen, designed to fill the gap between small salvage ships like the Vulture and large industrial vessels such as the Reclaimer. It offers a balance of multi-crew functionality and solo operation, boasting 224 SCU of cargo capacity, which is comparable to ships like the Hermes. The Moth is purpose-built for operators aiming to elevate their salvage work, equipped with multiple manned salvage turrets and pilot-controlled salvage arms, allowing for simultaneous multi-target salvage operations. Visually, it features a chunky, industrial design with distinctive large mechanical arms, nicknamed “grabby hands,” that add character and functionality.
One of the key advantages of the Moth is its multi-operator design, allowing up to four crew members to participate in the salvage process simultaneously, which contrasts with smaller ships that often require multiple trips or separate vehicles. Despite this, the developers encourage solo play by enabling creative seat swapping to manage the ship’s systems, though this comes with some gameplay trade-offs. The ship also introduces a new type of salvage material called “construction material pieces,” representing a middle ground in refining time and yield quality between small-ship “rubble” and the large-ship “salvage” materials, adding depth and variety to the salvage gameplay loop.
The Moth shares many design elements and handling characteristics with the Mole mining ship, but it is a standalone chassis with unique features such as a missile turret atop the ship and a large split cargo grid on its belly. While it retains some of the Mole’s industrial feel, the Moth has been updated with improved cargo handling, including an expanded cargo lift and standardized cargo grids that can hold various cargo types, allowing it to function partially as a cargo hauler. However, the ship is minimally armed, with forward-facing weapons designed more for defense and escape rather than direct combat, which has drawn some criticism for tactical limitations.
Interior-wise, the Moth retains a somewhat claustrophobic industrial aesthetic similar to the Mole but with some refinements like widened doors and ladders for easier movement and access to components. The ship includes living quarters, a processing room with an onboard refinery, and updated cockpit interactions that modernize the pilot and co-pilot experience. These improvements are expected to be retrofitted back to the Mole in future updates, reflecting an iterative design approach. The Moth also features new two-tone paint schemes, though it does not share skins with the Mole due to its distinct chassis.
Overall, the Argo Moth is a well-crafted addition to Star Citizen’s salvage ship lineup, addressing a previously unmet need for a medium-sized salvager that supports multi-crew operations while remaining solo-capable. It brings new gameplay mechanics and materials to the salvage profession, enhancing both depth and replayability. While some players express variant fatigue and have reservations about certain design choices, the Moth is expected to be a valuable and enjoyable ship for industrial players, contributing positively to the game’s ongoing development and funding.
