Okay, so how you guys ferreted these numbers out looks like black magic to me, but if I'm reading that right, the scales bug will probably go SQUISH come patch time, and it looks like this same thing explains the so far unsatisfactorily covered random dominion spread to faraway provinces (previously thought to result from the skipping in Dominion spread mechanics according to one hypothesis).
I'm also wondering if the corrupted geotable could be behind the bug where two opposing armies are unable to move against each other or armies getting "stuck" for no particular reason, which has been discussed earlier at some length.
calmon, vfb, great job! Props also to IndyPendant who got the whole Vanishing Scales discussion restarted and to Lord_Bob whose thread helped explore some of the scale mechanic possibilities and eliminate them as a consideration.