From my standpoint, there are 3 types of flags and 3 types of truces. While an early flag can be misinterpreted as a truce, this is not always the case. A truce differs greatly from any flag in that both players who entered the truce agreement will work as a team without a specific place in mind. These two will fight as one till the death. Trucers will protect one another at any cost. In contrast, an early flag simply subordinates one player (flager) to another (flagee). While future attacks between the two are not likely, the rest of the board is not going to be threatened by their presence as in a truce. Here's why, the subordinate flagger, may flag under another player at any time, and the flagee is under no obligation to protect the flagger. Furthermore, additional players may flag under either player with the same respect. And most importantly, the flagee may flag under another player.

Too often, people play soley by Vermont's logic to gain an advantage by counter-truce. While a counter is valid 100% of the time in a truce situation, I find that countering an early flag is only warranted about 30% of the time.

So here are the type of truces and flags in my opinion.

TRUCES

1) Hard Truce - Two players "partner up" and play as one to the death.

2) Contingent Truce - The truce is agreed upon with one person getting 1st and the other 2nd. And then play as described above.

3) Soft Truce - an unspoken alliance which is mutually beneficial to both parties survival. This is often mis-interpreted as PGA. An honestly, sometimes it is PGA.

FLAGS

1) Simple Flag - One player Vflags or real flags to another player. There is no obligation by either party to protect one another. There is no obligation by the flagger to stop attacking other players.

2) Contingent Flag - One player Vflags or real flags to another player with the understanding that a particular place will be had by subordinating. For example, Green flags to Blue with the understanding that Green gets at least 3rd place.

3) Passive Flag - A person flags to a flagee and sits in their territory and lets the everyone else fight. This person will not help anyone or interfere with anyone. These are the people who usually end up in a roll-off situation.

So anyway... just my perspective.