hopefully fixing some map issues due to trying to have player data persistance between game leaves, trying to fix claiming issues with caches too. Can't test on pc with this, pushing to test on my laptop :(

src/components/gameplay/CacheCardItem.js

@@ -2,12 +2,9 @@ import {StyleSheet, Text, View} from 'react-native';
 import Card from '../UI/Card';
 import {Button} from '../UI/Button';
 
-const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete, onSelect}) => {
+const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isClaimed, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete, onSelect}) => {
 //   Initialisation -------------
 
-    const hasClaims = (cache.Claims || []).length > 0;
-    const statusText = hasClaims ? 'Claimed' : 'Available';
-    const statusColor = hasClaims ? '#9ca3af' : '#16a34a';
     const displayName = cache.name || cache.clue || 'Unnamed Cache';
 
 //   State ----------------------
@@ -15,15 +12,20 @@ const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete, onSelect})
 //   View -----------------------
 
     return (
-        <Card style={isSelected ? styles.selectedCard : null}>
+        <Card style={[isSelected && styles.selectedCard, isClaimed && styles.claimedCard]}>
             <View style={styles.topRow}>
                 <View style={styles.nameWrap}>
-                    <Text style={styles.name} numberOfLines={1}>{displayName}</Text>
+                    <Text style={[styles.name, isClaimed && styles.claimedText]} numberOfLines={1}>{displayName}</Text>
                     {cache.name ? (
                         <Text style={styles.clue} numberOfLines={1}>{cache.clue}</Text>
                     ) : null}
                 </View>
-                <Text style={[styles.status, {color: statusColor}]}>{statusText}</Text>
+                {/* Players see team-specific claim status; admins see no status */}
+                {!isAdmin && (
+                    <Text style={[styles.status, {color: isClaimed ? '#9ca3af' : '#16a34a'}]}>
+                        {isClaimed ? 'Claimed' : 'Available'}
+                    </Text>
+                )}
             </View>
             <View style={styles.actions}>
                 {isAdmin ? (
@@ -41,6 +43,14 @@ const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete, onSelect})
                             styleLabel={styles.btnLabel}
                         />
                     </>
+                ) : isClaimed ? (
+                    <Button
+                        label="Already Claimed"
+                        onClick={() => {}}
+                        disabled={true}
+                        styleButton={styles.claimedBtn}
+                        styleLabel={styles.claimedBtnLabel}
+                    />
                 ) : isSelected ? (
                     <Button
                         label="Cache Currently Selected"
@@ -71,6 +81,7 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     clue: {fontSize: 13, color: '#6b7280', marginTop: 2},
     nameWrap: {flex: 1, marginRight: 8},
     name: {fontSize: 15, fontWeight: '600', color: '#1f2937'},
+    claimedText: {color: '#9ca3af'},
     status: {fontSize: 13, fontWeight: '600'},
     actions: {flexDirection: 'row', gap: 8},
     editBtn: {
@@ -101,8 +112,17 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
         paddingHorizontal: 14,
         flex: 1,
     },
+    claimedBtn: {
+        backgroundColor: '#d1d5db',
+        borderColor: '#d1d5db',
+        minHeight: 36,
+        paddingHorizontal: 14,
+        flex: 1,
+    },
+    claimedBtnLabel: {color: '#6b7280', fontWeight: '600', fontSize: 13},
     selectedBtnLabel: {color: '#ffffff', fontWeight: '600', fontSize: 13},
     selectedCard: {borderColor: '#2563eb', borderWidth: 2},
+    claimedCard: {opacity: 0.5},
     btnLabel: {color: '#ffffff', fontWeight: '600', fontSize: 13},
 });
 

src/components/gameplay/PlayerMapView.js

@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ const PlayerMapView = ({userLocation, visibleCaches, heading, claimDistance}) =>
     return (
         <MapView
             style={{flex: 1}}
-            region={{...userLocation, latitudeDelta: 0.01, longitudeDelta: 0.01}}
-            scrollEnabled={false}
+            initialRegion={{...userLocation, latitudeDelta: 0.01, longitudeDelta: 0.01}}
+            scrollEnabled={true}
             zoomEnabled={true}
             rotateEnabled={false}
             pitchEnabled={false}

src/components/screens/LoginScreen.js

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import Screen from '../layout/Screen';
 import {Button, ButtonTray} from '../UI/Button';
 
 const LoginScreen = ({ navigation }) => {
-//   Initialisation ------------->
+//   Initialisation -------------
 
   const { email, password, error, isLoading, setEmail, setPassword, login } = useAuthHook();
 

src/components/screens/MapScreen.js

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, {useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState} from 'react';
+import React, {useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState} from 'react';
 import {ActivityIndicator, Pressable, ScrollView, StyleSheet, Text, TextInput, View} from 'react-native';
 import MapView, {Circle, Marker, Polygon} from 'react-native-maps';
 import * as Location from 'expo-location';
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import ClaimTimerView from '../gameplay/ClaimTimerView';
 import PlayerMapView from '../gameplay/PlayerMapView';
 import useGameHook from '../../hooks/useGameHook';
 import usePlayerGame from '../../hooks/usePlayerGame';
-import {getSession, setSelectedCache, setSessionGroup, setSessionUser} from '../../hooks/SessionStore';
+import {getSession, setSelectedCache, setSessionGroup, setSessionTeam, setSessionUser} from '../../hooks/SessionStore';
 import {getFovCone} from '../../utils/geoMath';
 
 const DEFAULT_REGION = {latitude: 51.5074, longitude: -0.1278, latitudeDelta: 0.05, longitudeDelta: 0.05};
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
     const session = getSession();
     const {getCaches, claimCache, upsertCache, deleteCache, joinPrivateGame, createPrivateGame, getLobby, getUser, getSubgroups} = useGameHook();
 
+    // Stable ref to getCaches so loadCaches never gets a new identity on re-render.
+    // This prevents the useEffect/useFocusEffect from looping infinitely.
+    const getCachesRef = useRef(getCaches);
+    getCachesRef.current = getCaches;
+
 //   State ----------------------
 
     const [inGame, setInGame] = useState(Boolean(session.currentGid));
@@ -88,16 +93,17 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
     const defaultMemberSGid = subgroups.find((sg) => !sg.IsAdminGroup)?.SGid || null;
 
     // Always call getSession() fresh inside the callback so we never read a
-    // stale currentGid from the closure — matches the server's /caches endpoint
+    // stale currentGid from the closure — matches the server's /caches endpoint.
+    // Uses getCachesRef so this callback has a stable identity (no infinite loop).
     const loadCaches = useCallback(async () => {
         const currentGid = getSession().currentGid;
         if (!currentGid) {
             setCacheRecords([]);
             return;
         }
-        const rows = await getCaches(currentGid, null);
+        const rows = await getCachesRef.current(currentGid, null);
         setCacheRecords(rows || []);
-    }, [getCaches]);
+    }, []);
 
     // Run once on mount
     useEffect(() => { loadCaches(); }, [loadCaches]);
@@ -108,16 +114,16 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
         useCallback(() => { loadCaches(); }, [loadCaches])
     );
 
-    // Auto-select the first cache for the player when caches load and none is selected
+    // Auto-select the first unclaimed cache for the player when caches load
     useEffect(() => {
-        if (!isPlayer || cacheRecords.length === 0) return;
-        // If persisted selection still exists in the list, keep it
-        if (selectedCacheId && cacheRecords.some((c) => c.id === selectedCacheId)) return;
-        // Otherwise auto-select the first cache
-        const firstId = cacheRecords[0].id;
+        if (!isPlayer || activeCachesForPlayer.length === 0) return;
+        // If persisted selection still exists in the unclaimed list, keep it
+        if (selectedCacheId && activeCachesForPlayer.some((c) => c.id === selectedCacheId)) return;
+        // Otherwise auto-select the first unclaimed cache
+        const firstId = activeCachesForPlayer[0].id;
         setSelectedCacheIdState(firstId);
         setSelectedCache(firstId);
-    }, [cacheRecords, isPlayer]);
+    }, [activeCachesForPlayer, isPlayer]);
 
     // Location tracking
     useEffect(() => {
@@ -168,6 +174,15 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
         const result = await joinPrivateGame({JoinCode: gameCode.trim().toUpperCase(), Uid: session.currentUid});
         if (!result) return;
         setSessionGroup(result.Gid, result.SGid);
+
+        // Refresh user from server so we pick up any existing TGid
+        // (handles re-joining a game while still in a team)
+        const freshUser = await getUser(session.currentUid);
+        if (freshUser) {
+            setSessionUser(freshUser);
+            setSessionTeam(freshUser.TGid ?? null);
+        }
+
         setInGame(true);
         setIsAdmin(false);
         navigation.navigate('TeamScreen');
@@ -267,12 +282,19 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
         });
     };
 
-    // Player — select cache (persist selection)
+    // Player — select cache (persist selection); only allow selecting unclaimed caches
     const handleSelectCache = (cache) => {
         setSelectedCacheIdState(cache.id);
         setSelectedCache(cache.id);
     };
 
+    // Helper — check whether a cache has been claimed by the current user's team (or user)
+    const isCacheClaimedByMe = (cache) => {
+        const claims = cache.Claims || [];
+        if (session.currentTid) return claims.some((c) => c.Tid === session.currentTid);
+        return claims.some((c) => c.Uid === session.currentUid);
+    };
+
 //   View -----------------------
 
     // Not in a game
@@ -410,13 +432,14 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
     }
 
     // Admin — normal view (map + create button + cache list)
+    // Uses initialRegion so manual zoom/pan is not reset by location updates
     if (isAdmin) {
         return (
             <Screen style={styles.containerMap}>
                 <View style={styles.mapContainer}>
                     <MapView
                         style={{flex: 1}}
-                        region={mapRegion}
+                        initialRegion={mapRegion}
                         scrollEnabled={true}
                         zoomEnabled={true}
                         showsUserLocation
@@ -520,15 +543,19 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
             />
             <View style={styles.cacheSection}>
                 <ScrollView>
-                    {cacheRecords.map((cache) => (
-                        <CacheCardItem
-                            key={cache.id}
-                            cache={cache}
-                            isAdmin={false}
-                            isSelected={selectedCacheId === cache.id}
-                            onSelect={handleSelectCache}
-                        />
-                    ))}
+                    {cacheRecords.map((cache) => {
+                        const claimed = isCacheClaimedByMe(cache);
+                        return (
+                            <CacheCardItem
+                                key={cache.id}
+                                cache={cache}
+                                isAdmin={false}
+                                isClaimed={claimed}
+                                isSelected={!claimed && selectedCacheId === cache.id}
+                                onSelect={claimed ? undefined : handleSelectCache}
+                            />
+                        );
+                    })}
                     {cacheRecords.length === 0 && (
                         <Text style={styles.emptyText}>No caches available yet.</Text>
                     )}