If the authors' thought process is to be taken into account, the Soviets had good reason to be circumspect. They were trying very hard to avoid a general exchange. I think it's possible that they used lower-yield warheads on every occasion they could.
This idea dovetails with my thinking on Richmond. After BDA, someone realized they were going to have to conduct a follow-up. They ordered the strike. No low-yield nukes were available at the time. Someone at the top said "Now, now, now!" Someone in the middle said, "We can't not hit the target, but we have orders not to engage in a city-busting profile. We only have warheads greater than 1Mt available right now. Make it a ground burst. Maybe we won't get shot in the backs of our heads."
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“We’re not innovating. We’re selectively imitating.” June Bernstein, Acting President of the University of Arizona in Tucson, November 15, 1998.
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