Counter-changing can be tricky.....

Counter-changing can be tricky. A perfect example is the 'Union Jack' - which ends up being asymmetric. The reasons for this is lost to history.

azure, the crosses-saltires of St. Andrew and St. Patrick quartered per saltire counter charged argent and gules; the latter fimbriated of the second [viz., argent]; surmounted by the cross of St. George of the third [viz., gules], fimbriated as the saltire [viz., argent]

I would've preferred a symmetric arrangement like Azure, a saltire conjoined to a cross Gules, all fimbriated Argent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg#/media/File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg

File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg - Wikipedia