I just told you it's not cowardice, it's selfishness.
They have usually extra protection who makes them claim early and mafia don't attack them because they want their help in the late phases of games and town vig doesn't waste a bullet on them. The indies hunt makes them not trust town and you shouldn't blame them as long as no truce against wincon lives long in mafia.
If you focus more on your wincon and try to find also town and mafia and not just indies, you will see the game as a whole and you will improve your play.