- "WINTER CONTINGENCY has been declared. All units are mobilized and ready"
- — UNSC operator[1]
WINTER CONTINGENCY is an official United Nations Space Command emergency plan that deals with situations where Covenant forces have become aware of, or are present at, a UNSC colony. It was first mentioned in the UNSC DF Instruction EM-277 on March 10, 2526.[2] On Reach, WINTER CONTINGENCY was supplemented by the WINTER CONTINGENCY Declaration Supplemental Orders, a series of additional directives for ONI agents.[3]
Classification
Events which may be classified as WINTER CONTINGENCY include:
- Intercepted Covenant communications that refer to a UNSC colony by name.
- Discovery of hard physical evidence of Covenant activity.
- Abandoned or discarded matériel.
- Residue and/or damage consistent with directed energy weapon usage.
- Detection of multiple in-system Slipspace rupture events.
- Engagement in combat with Covenant forces.
Priority
- "As per the Winter Contingency, we are countering on every front."
- — Auntie Dot[4]
WINTER CONTINGENCY holds the highest precedence in the OPREP-Γ reporting structure. All other reporting terms such as GOOSE CHASE, SNAKE PIT, et al, while very important, are considered secondary to a WINTER CONTINGENCY report.
Sources
- ^ Halo: Reach Announcement Trailer
- ^ Bungie.net: CAA FACTBOOK/UNSC Operational Reports-Γ
- ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach (2010), Bonus Content
- ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level Tip of the Spear