I figured it was a holdover from starting as a wargaming simulator. The rules on those are somewhat varied (x inches in one system, hexes in another, squares in a third, or y inches in a fourth) so the ability to shift things around (flexibly) allows games to be simulated with greater ease.
1) these are board games, and for many people working through the mechanics is a big part of the fun
2) it's an attempt to make it clear the tool isn't a replacement for games but a supplement (i.e. a hedge against confrontations over copyright)