It's a bit of a balancing act. If Starfleet lets the Dominion notice that their shields are getting better, then the tactical surprise in "Call to Arms" won't work too well... So if the Defiant really packs cutting-edge shield improvements, she better leave no witnesses.
Hollywood villains tend to grow less scary and powerful with time. But in many cases, this is actually realistic. Surprise and shock wears off. Some villain tricks only work once. Attack from ambush gives an exaggerated view of the potency of an enemy. Etc.
We also have to consider the fact that these are the mindless minions of a ruthless enemy who is ready to utilize suicide tactics (of said minions!) for reaching relatively minor goals. Just like there's a seeming contradiction between Obi-Wan being impressed by the sharpshooting of Imperial Stormtroopers, but a legion of them failing to hit the barn door from the inside in the subsequent fight that culminates in the escape of the heroes with a tracking device aboard, we might be seeing an enemy force deliberately being commanded to lose the fight.
Odo here is escaping pretty much like Luke's posse. His destination is not unclear - but his survival is valued by the enemy at least as much as that of Luke was by Vader. In both cases, we lack explicit information. Did the Founders know enough to order the runabout to be hit in a nonlethal manner and any possible help (such as the Defiant) be allowed to win? Did Vader in ANH already realize Luke was his son? Nothing wrong with either assumption...
Timo Saloniemi
