I've read that as well.
But my primary question is, why did they place this emphasis on their designs so suddenly and so quickly? From something like the Jalthi and the Gothri to the Vaktoth and Paktahn; it is quite a big change.
Psychological warfare, maybe.
Ship-by-ship comparison:
At some point between WC2 and WC3, there is a big divergence in the quality of each side's starfighters. In WC1, on average Terran fighters had better speed and weapons, Kilrathi fighters had better armor and maneuverability. In WC2, the Sabre and Gothri were a very close match, but otherwise, the Terran fighters started to show an edge: the Ferret and Rapier II were more than a match for their counterparts, Terran bombers had shields that no Kilrathi fighter could approach, and the Morningstar and Wraith put practically every Kilrathi starfighter to shame. By WC3, the Terran fighters that we see - even the Hellcat V - were all-around superior to their competition despite being old designs. The Arrow, Hellcat V, and Thunderbolt VII are all quite capable of taking a Vaktoth at least one-on-one.
So if you want a non-game-engine explanation, maybe it's psychological warfare: Victory Streak notes that the sight of jagged, asymmetrical "gun-bristling" Kilrathi fighters with weapons and engines on prominent display could strike fear into rookie Terran pilots, even when they were flying technically superior craft.
Since Confed's fighters were gaining in quality, the remaining advantage the Kilrathi had lay in numbers, as it always did. But why would they just settle on numbers as the sole source of advantage? Psychology is a big part of warfare. Hell, it's just instinct. If you can terrify an enemy by making yourself look bigger than you actually are, that gives you an advantage. Maybe you can explain the jagged, sharp-edged asymmetrical designs as the Kilrathi equivalent of a cat's arched back and bristling fur, and bared fangs. When you see a hissing, bristling housecat, you back away. Even though you know it's just a housecat.