MOTH

Designed for and dedicated to operators looking to take their small-time recovery work to the next level. Purpose-built to bridge the gap between light salvage and full industrial undertakings, the MOTH has the tools to earn its keep, the storage for a long job, and the ambition to take your team to an elevated tier of performance.

We asked the Vehicle and Gameplay teams a few questions about this new Argo medium salvager. Here are the answers, straight from the devs themselves.

As the first Medium Salvage ship, how do you envision players utilizing the MOTH in their salvage career path between smaller salvage ships, like the Drake Vulture, and the larger Aegis Reclaimer?

Much like other careers, the MOTH provides a great midground for those looking to increase their output, take on larger missions, or have a more multi-crew experience.

As the MOTH stands for "Multi Operator Targeted Harvester," what is the ideal crew size to operate the ship?

Like most ships in Star Citizen, the MOTH can be operated solo, in this case with some creative positioning and internal seat swapping. In some instances, players may even find this advantageous over making repeated trips with smaller vehicles due to the MOTH’s cargo capacity.

That said, to get the fullest experience and most efficient return, we recommend at least one pilot and one crew member, up to the ship’s maximum of four.

What are the key advantages that set the MOTH apart as a Medium Salvage ship?

Three independent hull-scraping turrets and pilot-controlled structural salvage arms allow the crew to tackle a variety of targets in parallel, rather than sequentially. This provides the benefit of multiple players working together without the need for several vehicles or the overheads associated with the much larger Reclaimer.

What's the MOTH's total SCU capacity (including buffer)?

The official capacity is 224 SCU: the two external autoloader cargo grids each hold 96 SCU and the rear cargo lift holds 32 SCU. However, each autoloader has a buffer of 32 SCU, giving a maximum theoretical capacity of 288 SCU.

Does the MOTH have similar flight characteristics to the MOLE, or does it handle differently?

The MOTH has nearly identical handling characteristics to the MOLE but, due to the differing layout of the cargo, can behave differently if not equally loaded.

What salvage head loadout does the MOTH come with by default, and is it swappable?

The salvage heads are compatible with all existing sub-items (including those used by the other salvage ships). By default, the MOTH comes with the Cinch and Abrade scraper modules. The Trawler and Ready Grip modules are compatible and can be used in either of the salvage turrets.

What size ships can the MOTH structurally salvage, and what types of construction materials will it produce?

The MOTH is capable of salvaging ships the size of the Origin 600i or MISC Starfarer. In doing so, it produces Construction Material Pieces; the MOTH being the first ship to create the "pieces" type of raw material.

Learn more about how this works with our Salvage Gameplay Guide.

Which roles can a player take on when salvaging with the MOTH, seeing as there are multiple turrets and seats?

There are three manned salvage turrets for hull scraping at the front and both sides, all with excellent 180-degree coverage. The pilot seat has control over the guns and fracture/disintegration arms, while the copilot seat has control over the remote missile turret.

The MOTH features 2x S2 pilot weapons and a remote missile turret. How does the MOTH fare in combat?

The MOTH is not designed for combat, its weaponry provides an initial defense against aggressors before making its exit.

Is the MOTH a variant of the MOLE and would therefore be able to use the same paints?

No, the MOTH is a standalone chassis, so the two don’t share paints.