I disagree. The Dominion War was probably on a much greater and faster scale than the Alt-Klingon War. Time comparison wouldn't be much of a factor. Remember that prior to that episode, four of the greatest minds in the Federation calculated near-inevitable loss of the entire war to mathematical certainty. The speed that everything was happening was accelerated, which was a very frightening trend in the war. And it was quite clear that even with the Klingons and Romulans on their side, the Alpha Quadrant simply could not keep up with the war machine that the Dominion had.
Objectively speaking The War, the war was not going all
THAT badly. When the war finally grew hot at the end of season 5, only what could be called skirmishes had occurred.
The Federation relinquished control--and they did relinquish control DS9 was not taken totally by force--of DS9 only after laying a mine field at the mouth of the Worm Hole. That battle at DS9 allowed Starfleet and the Klingons to destroy ship building facilities and other targets in Dominion Space.
Things started to go bad after that, the loss of the 12th(?) Fleet, and the constant retreat of Starfleet which were demoralizing and aggravating to Starfleet personnel. However after that, the Federation was able, with the help of the Prophets, to retake DS9 and prevent Dominion ships from coming into the Alpha Quadrant. The Founder in charge of the AQ forces called a retreat to Cardassian space because the war was going to last longer than expected
As you said, the Federation was months away from surrender in the alt-timeline. But in the proper time line, the Federation was in the exact same position. Only with arguably more losses, two major allies going down with them, and taking only two years rather than twenty to get all that done. I'd say that's a much bigger loss.
In one war, it takes 20 years for the Federation to almost exhaust its supply of ships. In another, it takes almost two years with three giant space nations rather than one lone Federation. I'd say the situation is FARRRRR more dire. Same percentage? Maybe, but with much, much greater numbers and loss of life. Heck, a year earlier, the AQ had the closest of calls ever, if it wasn't for Sisko convincing the Prophets to help. If they didn't intervene, the AQ would've have been screwed, and all comparisons to the Alt-Klingon War would be moot (20 years Vs. 6 months). THAT's dire..
At no point was it ever mentioned that anywhere near half of Starfleet was lost. Battles were lost. Many ships destroyed and as Sisko noted the casualty list grew every day and Betazed was lost. That was the reason to get the Romulans in the war. With the Romulans in the War the Alies were able to take aCardassian planet and make a toe hold in enemy space. Finally the Dominion was on the defensive; and the Cardassians were starting to see that their role in the War was to be the Dominion Whipping boy should they lose.
A ray of light was shinning through the clouds of war.
But then it brings us back to the point: with the Dominion War being so spread out across the Alpha Quadrant and spilling over the Beta Quadrant, why have the Enterprise-E seen on DS9? Space is big, war is huge. It's like wondering where the heck the carrier Enterprise was in World War II when we focus on General Patton in Europe, completely forgetting that the Pacific Fleet was a major factor in fighting the Axis Powers. Like World War II, there was tons of fighting going on in the Dominion War, and it wasn't isolated around one location. Patton never really spoke of the Pacific Fleet during the war. For all we know, the Enterprise-E was a major factor elsewhere in the war, only far from DS9.
By the 6th and 7th seasons of DS9 it was known that the Enterprise E was under the command of Picard, and with the exception of Worf, he had his previous command staff with him. These were people Worf knew well. As a Klingon he would have felt pride in knowing the Enterprise was in battle and maybe even a little ashamed that he was not there to help his former captain, his Cha'Dich, his friends Riker, Data and Geordi, and his one time love Troi. He should, no I believe he would have, kept up with the exploits of the Enterprise.
The O'Brien's also had friends aboard the Enterprise. Miles was close to Geordi and to Barclay (Who was on the ship for at least a part of the War before joining the project to help Voyager) wouldn't he want to know how the Enterprise was doing without him? Keiko too would be concerned at least for the Android who played the part of "Father of the Bride" at her wedding.
I didn't say the Defiant was the *only* reason for the decrease. That's just silly (especially in light of my earlier point of the importance of one ship). But it's still a blow nevertheless.
You may not have said exactly that but this quote sure does seem to imply it:
Besides, having a ship as memorable as the Enterprise would ensure that it goes down in flames. When the Defiant was destroyed, the Dominion knew full well that its defeat was also a blow to AQ morality. And the Enterprise is arguably more famous than the Defiant. Psychological warfare in space.
It was the equivalent of losing a war hero after years of being on the front lines. Lest we forget that the entire battle was pretty psychological from the start, beginning with the attack on Earth.
The attack on Earth only happened after the Breen joined forces with the Dominion.
The Second Battle of Chin'Toka was supposed to be relatively easy, too, at least judging from the confidence Sisko had going into the mission. There really wouldn't be that much of a point to having such a specialized vessel as the Enterprise there.
That is true, and that I'll concede that point to you.
I'm not saying the show should have had joint missions using the Enterprise and the Defiant (Although I would have liked that), but someone, somehow would have been concerned about her whereabouts. Worf and O'Brien could have been seen on the lift to Opps mentioning that they were glad to see that the Enterprise was successful at the battle whatever. Something, anything would have been good.
