I thought I had found an easy solution.....
Makaron T12/3 will actually run some zipped MAME files, so I thought all problems solved...wouldn't even have to modify the MAME xml file.
Tried it, games show up in list perfect, but I still get an error message when Makaron launches from the main MAME list.
I thought it might have to do with the difference between the command line for MAME and for Makaron, but I made the MAME one the same as what I had for Makaron, refreshed the list, and it still won't launch them.
Gotta be something in the way my Mame.cmd is set up.
(soooo close to fighting game bliss)