Thanks for the link.  I'm not sure if I'm understanding this right but, I may be in a fix on this campaign.  I chose Neutral for my alignment and I'm thinking the Iconians are Good.  I have a negative for alignment.  I have a negative for militaristic.  I've been invading and gifting planets over to the ungrateful Iconian.  A negative on too close on the borders.  Of course the dumb cluck colonized a level 4 planet in the middle of my turf and it keeps going red.  And a negative on my alarming Influence.  I only have 2 postives one on trade and one on diplomacy. 

Some of it I might be able to shift.  I could give all my planets to him at the top of the map.  Somehow I don't think it would change a thing.  There's nowhere for me to colonize without having a border with this Iconian.  I gifted him 100,000 influence to make us closer to even.  It didn't change a thing.  Perhaps I should just give this rat everything but one planet.  Of course then I would be left with clicking the turn button a bazillion times while trying not to get wiped out by the ungrateful Iconian.  Another campaign that's not working for me.

Ok, here's what I accomplished.  I reviewed my areas on the map and kept just 5 planets that were nearest to the starting point.  It nailed me but, I had a stock pile of BCs by this point and said what the heck try something.  And, it worked to a point.  I went from 2 single positives with 4 single negatives to:

++ Our Treaties

++ Our Military Strength < That took some work lot's of small defense ships already had plenty of attack

++ Trading

- Our Ethical Alignment I chose Neutral < Will this prevent a successful outcome????

+ Diplomatic Skill  < Difficult to believe I started with I think +30 to +40 in this skill and I've researched and built everything possible here.

- Militaristic  < Another one that bites. I'm letting these turds kill off my trade ships.  I don't even fire on them when they enter my turf.  No change here.

I've spent many game weeks by now and am remaining as "Friendly" and no "Ally" upgrade with Iconians.

I've given this ungrateful Iconian 2 of my morale trade goods cause I don't want to give up the miltary ones as I will drop back down to a single + on Miltary Strength if I do that.  Didn't help.  I gave him Techs no help.  But haven't exhausted them all.

So, is this the end of the road for me??  I can't see any further improvement possible.  Am I just missing something?

Thanks Loupdinour!  The log jam finally broke free.  I had made a save game just prior to my reply #4 and when I returned to it I just clicked through a couple of more weeks and finally relationship changed from friendly to close!  I was sweating my Nuetral alignment but, it finally didn't matter.  I guess the "Good" Iconian finally stopped holding it against me. lol

After that I could offer the alliance treaty and that was that.  Now what's this conflaguration all about?

My strategy.

Mission 6: Rock and Hard Place may as well be the hardest mission of GC2TA. Here is what I did.

Declare war on Yor, Korath and annihilate them. Give all planets captured planets to the Iconians, Give and trade every technology you have to the Iconians over time and bit at a time to raise relationship levels. Set up trade routes with Iconians. Do not allow your territory borders close to any Iconian borders. Declare war on the Krynn and annihilate them last. Again give all captured Krynn planets to the Iconians all but the the one in center of the map. Keep one Terran planet in center of the map. Decommission all your ships except freighters for trade. Keep close watch on your relationship and wait for "Close to appear. When this happens speak to the Iconians and give money and trade Alliances between them and the Terran's and mission is won. You can also destroy your colonies to prevent close borders.The idea here is to boost up the Iconians as the dominate race while keep up good relations.

Took me several months to find the right strategy and finally beat this mission this morning.