Strike Witches - Road to Berlin - Episode 6 - Trude Fights NX-30

After going through harsh physical activity, Trude was ready for Round Two against a fast Neuroi.

Strike Witches made sure you knew their Odd Couple, Trude Barkhorn and Erica Hartmann, was at the top of marquee for this episode.

Generals Patton and Bradley decided repairing the port at Antwerpen was taking too long, so they thought it was time for the 501st to take another port, in Neuroi territory, that was still operational. First, they needed to do reconnaissance before they take Kiel. A forward swept fight looking like a GI Joe Conquest X-30 was insanely fast and shot down Hartmann! Trude didn't want to leave Erica behind, but her Striker Units had damage too. 

It looked like Trude was sulking and having mental issues over leaving Erica behind. Does sulking look like smashing walls? Yes. Does it look like spending a lot of time in the sauna, not eating, and doing one-handed pullups? Uh, maybe? It also looks like she might be cutting weight before a prize fight or a bodybuilding contest.

The eye catches celebrate Trude and Erica's special big sister-little sister relationship. Trude was there when Erica got her first air victory.

Minna thought a fast enemy required a fast fighter like Shirley, but Trude was scornful of her chances. Perhaps she was just irritable because she hadn't been eating? It turned out Trude was correct, that although Shirley was fast, she couldn't handle the enemy's acceleration and deceleration. Meanwhile, Erica used her survival training to fool the NX-30 from looking for her and ration the chocolate bar Trude gave her before that thing shot her down.

Trude had a plan! Of course, she had a plan. After explaining to Shirley her ideas, Shirley was all in on modifying her P-51H Striker Units into the lightest and most aerodynamic version it could be. And all that fasting, working out, and sauna time for Trude was to do the same for her body! Wowsers! It was just like making weight right before her boxing match. She needed to save her energy before getting her revenge, so Shizuka and Yoshika carried her to the battle space.

Erica ran out of chocolate just before Trude mounted her revenge match. Trude easily countered the NX-30's moves and shot it down, but just when the Strike Witches moved to find Erica, they saw her decoy. At the same time, another NX-30 rose out of the forest. All this time, Erica's radio could receive but not transmit, so she heard Trude's despair at her friend's loss while Yoshika and Shizuka did their best to shield their grief-stricken friend. Since Erica always claimed she knew where every piece of garbage was in her pigsty, it was easy for her to find the reflective wrapper of her chocolate bar to signal Trude of her status and a new plan. Trude was back in the fight!

The new NX-30 wasn't even in its final form! It switched to an even faster mode, which made Trude laugh. Her magic is based on super strength, so she just threw away her guns and smacked it with her fists. This was all to fool the NX-30 Mk. II into ignoring its real threat – a surprise attack from Erica! Trude finished off the Neuroi with a special reminder from Shirley. I don't think Trude has a special magic power of keeping .44 Magnums in her butt cleavage, but it was a nice moment in several respects.

All's well that ends well. Trude even had another special gift kept in her special cleavage. Somehow that chocolate bar didn't show up under her tight tank top or didn't melt. It was still heaven for the hungry Erica as the Strike Witches rode off into the sunset.