Saying "This sectorial isn't doing well, but its internal balance is poor, so we're going to nerf its good units" isn't a good look for game design. Moreover, I have no reason to think this was a conscious nerf, considering IJW disagreed with it; more likely it's someone cargo culting the rules again, like that situation with Shock we had for a while in N3 where it could put a Charontid unconscious.
