I don't really understand what you mean about it helping get past cliffs. Most RTS games lock the camera level to the elevation, so when you scroll over higher terrain the camera raises--so that zoom level corresponds from distance-from-the-ground, not an arbitrary level--like sea level or something.
Rather than being something intentional, it seems to me it's more likely the result of a developer with no experience making 3D strategy games making a 3D strategy game. Which is to be expected.
