Mauler existed as an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, serving as a component of Kuat's system's defensive forces. This vessel participated in the events of the Battle of Kuat. Following the near-total annihilation of its TIE fighter complement by enemy Hawk-bats and the Vibroaxe Prime, Mauler attempted to disengage from the immediate combat area to avoid vulnerability to smaller starfighters. However, this maneuver inadvertently placed it within firing range of Zsinj's Super Star Destroyer, known as the Iron Fist. After an unsuccessful effort to fight the much larger vessel, Mauler sustained critical damage, with multiple fires erupting across its hull. The captain, perhaps overconfidently, assumed that these fires could be contained.