The value is embodied in the concept of "dying for your country": you may very well not survive the encounter, but those opponents who do survive will reconsider ever getting into the same situation again. Waco is a perfect example: the ATF/FBI/etc. technically won the encounter, and the Davidians lost bigtime, but the former never tried that $#!^ again.
Two words: Phyrric victory.
And I'm sure some will choose to "go down in a blaze of glory," but it ain't my style. I'd hand over a rusty .38, and watch them leave. Depending on the given scenario, I might respond with a lawsuit, or much more.