Space Hornets

The Space Hornets are a successor chapter to the Raven Guard, and among the most unique chapters with their skill set; Space Combat. Although they have been deployed planet-side, most of the Space Hornets' battles take place in outer space, often infiltrating ships or simply engaging them close range.

Origins
Once an tactical marine in the 3rd company of the Raven Guard, Ralpher Rulk's squad had been sent to the orbital colony Forlorn Haven above Osphrus to assist an Inquisitor investigating a unknown traitor. On the way a Ork transport from the planet below was detected headed for the colony. The Space Marines' Thunderhawk was not equipped to deal with the heavily armed transport that was making it's way through the asteroid belt, so Ralpher decided to go another route. Equipping himself and three men with Jump Packs stored in the ship, Ralpher exited the Thunderhawk and navigated towards the ork ship. As small objects they were believed to be asteroids by the Orks, and so ignored. A fatal mistake.

Two grenades were used point blank to create a hole in the ship's hull, and the de-pressing pulled the orks out into the void. Right into bolter fire. After the bodies stopped coming, Ralpher entered the ship to terminate the surviving orks, before setting the ship on a crash course for the planet below.

Upon arrival at Forlorn Haven, the Marines were regarded as heroes by the inhabitants of the station. Less pleased was the inquisitor, who explained the traitor he was following had descended to Osphrus' surface, which was swarming with orks. The inquisitor, for his own private reasons, refused to believe that the traitor would die upon reaching the surface. However going down to the surface would be suicide, even for a tactical squad, so instead the agreement was reached that Forlorn Haven would become a outpost for the Raven Guard, both to keep an eye on the massive ork population below, and also for the traitor.

By the time of the 37th Millennium, it was found that Raven Guard Marines stationed for a long time at Forlorn Heaven had become different in their bone structure, because of the amount of time they spent to zero gravity. Adding to the zero-g tactics developed by Ralpher (who had been on the station for the whole time), a new chapter was authorised to be formed, with Ralpher as Chapter Master.

Home-world
The planet Osphrus is a desert planet, currently infest with the largest ork group in the Imperium. The planet is a unusual stalemate; the planet is entrenched by the orks, and a land assault would be, if not a suicide, would be devastating even for a full chapter of Space Marines. However the asteroid belt around the planet restricts ship movement, as the slow moving rocks easily pass through a void shield, and destroying even a few asteroids could set off a huge collapse. Further more, the orks are mostly trapped on the planet as they don't usually gain enough salvage to create a ship to leave. Hence, an awkward stalemate.

Forlorn Heaven is a Dark Age of Technology mining colony. After being re-discovered by the Great Crusade, it was returned to it's previous occupation, until the mineral stocks in the asteroids was completely depleted. Since then, it has been mostly a trade port, with a population similar to a Lower Hive's population. The people are known to be taller then most and have bone strength problems caused by living in an occasional zero-g gravity, as the city's gravity generators are known to fail. Living in relatively confined space for years has created a sense of cohesion in the populace; crimes are rare, everybody is always available to give a helping hand, and outsiders are treated with suspicion.