First off, as being my first post, I am absolutely in love with Sins. I haven't enjoyed space domination since MOO2, and it's great to play something so innovative and fun, something I have been missing for a while.
I have started a couple games already, never finished, and I am currently on a 5v5 huge about 5 hours into it. I have max military tree and 3/4 harmony (playing as Advent).
How can I get my AI allies to attack planets? And how can I keep the AI from retreating as soon as they arrive?
There have been a couple times where one of my AI allies would create a large fleet at my border world and then goes to attack the enemy, I decide to follow him in and as soon as the fight starts he runs away leaving me in a now non-winnable pitched battle. Sometimes he actually chickens out right before phase jumping and decides to go back to his planet. About the only reliable ally that I have for attacking with me are pirates.
I have also been reading some of the forum posts about winning by culture. I have trade ports and the culture building thingy (can't think of the name) on this border world, but the line to the enemy planet isn't changing to green (my color).
Thanks for any replies!