[MarkSheppard]

So I just figured out and debugged semi-automated CSV editing of SPCAMO DAT files.

Apparently compressed DAT files as handled by the game, allow for one section out of the ordinary to be uncompressed; I guess maybe for debug reasons?

If you try to load more than one uncompressed section out of the ordinary, the game throws an error.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, this is possibly an anti-cheat feature to prevent unscrupulous players from scum-hacking their save games in PBEMs or tournament play; because game data is spread across multiple sections.

So the trick is to load one section at a time and resave each time:

Load/Edit Section 34 (Save as Scenario 998)
load Scenario 998 in SPCAMO engine and resave, copy over

load/edit section 37 (Save as Scenario 997)
load Scenario 997 in SPCAMO engine and resave, copy over

load/edit section 1 (Save as Scenario 996)
load Scenario 996 in SPCAMO engine and resave, copy over

load/edit section 1 (Save as Scenario 995)
load Scenario 995 in SPCAMO engine and resave.

it sounds complicated but isn't that hard-ish in Windows to do.

It's a lot less work and less complicated than hunt-and pecking for the X/Y coordinates of say, 100 units on a spreadsheet or on a printed sheet of paper.