I've looked around to see if there is anything related to this topic, couldn't find anything.

Back story: I try to play with honor (try) and respect flags as much as possible (as long as I am not getting farmed).

If ranked above, don't attack lower flagged.
If ranked below, don't attack those flagged higher.
Everyone else is pretty much fair game.

I don't normally truce. I am beginning to realize that trucing in higher ranked games may be required. I hate being double teamed, thus my reluctance to truce - and my inability to crack a higher rank on a regular basis.

Here is the nut I am trying to crack. Truce early in the game, and it starts to work. Am sitting at 1st, and only one party would be able to knock me down.

He stops hitting me, flags for 2nd, so I figure he can fight my truce buddy. Now, we are not allies (I never said I would help him fight), yet I owe my position to him (I probably would have been wiped out if he decided to take me on). He asked for the truce, I agreed.

2nd place enemy is now taking on the fellow I truced with (again, reluctant to call him ally). I protected his flank against another foe, yet 2nd place enemy is making some big dents. My truce partners is losing, now he's pissed at me for not helping.

What is the deal here? Does truce trump flags? Should I have pushed back the flagged fellow so my truce partner could survive, maybe even excel?

I am starting to think that either I should have set the ground rules quickly (truce = no attacks from me, but does not necessarily include aid later), or I should have informed the other fellows that flag will be respected if they do not attack partner (then does that give partner carte-blanche to attack others with the implied threat of my retribution anytime?).

I dunno, maybe I am overthinking this.