I quite like the fact The General is a B side, it may even help it's cult status, which I believe the band/band management is well aware of.
B sides are designed to help support the A side and are not always a reflection of the songs quality. Just because it's a B side does not make it a throwaway song. A lot of bands would write songs with the intention of them being a B side. I also think that B sides are sometimes an ode to the die hard fans as well; yeah a single is aimed at trying to attract new fans but before the days of streaming and downloading I used to enjoy going out and buying my favourite bands singles, just so I could get my hand on the B side(s), and unless the single had massive exposure and appeal via radio, it would mostly be the bands fans buying anyway, to get that B side.
The way it's being released, is almost a nod to the ways things used to be done, and I kind of dig that. Even it means I will need to get The General via 'other means'.