Back when FM: WC came out we learned that the Steel Vipers deployed 5 aerospace fighters per star, 1 fighter per point, instead of the 10 fighter stars found in other Clans.
FM: WC goes on to say that their Clusters focus on ground combat, and so the ASF trinaries assigned to each Cluster play less of a role, while a greater percentage of their fighters are assigned to naval duty, working independently or as escorts to other vessels, like the Clan's warships. The Clan deploys roughly the same number of fighters as other Clans, it just organizes them differently.
I'm trying to run down all the possible implications of this policy, good or bad. For example, aboard a Titan-class vessel that is carrying 30 fighters, that's about 3 binaries/2 trinaries worth of fighters, and might be commanded by a Star Colonel, a mini Cluster.
It also means that the Steel Vipers may have had twice as many ASF Star Commanders than other Clans. So it would have been easier for a Steel Viper pilot to achieve Star Commander rank.
For bidding purposes, do/did the Vipers actually think of 1 of their ASF Points (1 fighter) as being equal to the Point of another Clan (2 fighters)? Or to match bids did they just bid 2 points? I'm assuming its the latter.
Tactically, it leaves one odd duck per Star without wingman. Though that may have been deemed less of a problem, since, as I understand it, Zell among ASFs is still single combat between fighters and not between points. So in Zell Clan combat of having a wingman to back you up becomes less relevant. I'm not sure how the Viper pilots adapted to combat against Inner Sphere fighters.
It also seems like the majority of ASF pilots in the Steel Vipers will be trained for space superiority roles, rather than ground support. They might have more experience than many pilots flying escort for troop and attack droppers. The Tyre was built from the ground-up to be an escort.
I wonder if the ASF trinary assigned to a Cluster specialized in ground support (like many Goliath Scorpion pilots). Or if their doctrine was more counter-air power oriented.
What other possible implications can you think of? Theories welcomed here, it doesn't have to be a fact 100% proven by canon sources.
