The Gelgoog was Zeonic's entry for Zeon's next flagship mobile suit and rival to Zimmad's YMS-15 Gyan. After it was adopted as the new mainstay mobile suit, 25 units, under the designation YMS-14S were produced initially; 24 of the machines were given to the Chimera Corps, aka the Ace Pilot Corps. The remaining unit was assigned to Char Aznable, who piloted it against the RX-78-2 Gundam in two sorties.
After Char's unit was damaged and defeated in combat by Amuro Ray and his RX-78-2 Gundam, his Gelgoog Commander Type was later repaired and modified to improve its performance, adding a new and more powerful backpack taken from the MS-14B Gelgoog High Mobility Type as well as replacing the severed arm with an arm from the MS-14F Gelgoog Marine. It is then held in reserve while Char pilots the MSN-02 Zeong. After the end of the battle of A Baoa Qu, Char flees using his Gelgoog to support the Zeon retreat to Axis. While at Axis, Char's Gelgoog is further refined, removing the B-type backpack, adding a more streamlined design, larger thrusters, a vulcan gun and a hidden beam saber, earning the unit the new designation of MS-14U Gelgoog.