diff --git a/mp/src/game/server/ff/ff_sv_player.cpp b/mp/src/game/server/ff/ff_sv_player.cpp
index f80df48e..0b0912c4 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/server/ff/ff_sv_player.cpp
+++ b/mp/src/game/server/ff/ff_sv_player.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ END_SEND_TABLE()
 BEGIN_DATADESC( CFF_SV_Player )
 END_DATADESC()
 
+//PrecacheModel("models/player/soldier/soldier.mdl");
 const char *g_ppszRandomCitizenModels[] = 
 {
 	"models/humans/group03/male_01.mdl",
@@ -242,52 +243,12 @@ void CFF_SV_Player::GiveDefaultItems( void )
 
 void CFF_SV_Player::PickDefaultSpawnTeam( void )
 {
-	if ( GetTeamNumber() == 0 )
-	{
-		if ( FFRules()->IsTeamplay() == false )
-		{
-			if ( GetModelPtr() == NULL )
-			{
-				const char *szModelName = NULL;
-				szModelName = engine->GetClientConVarValue( engine->IndexOfEdict( edict() ), "cl_playermodel" );
-
-				if ( ValidatePlayerModel( szModelName ) == false )
-				{
-					char szReturnString[512];
-
-					Q_snprintf( szReturnString, sizeof (szReturnString ), "cl_playermodel models/combine_soldier.mdl\n" );
-					engine->ClientCommand ( edict(), szReturnString );
-				}
-
-				ChangeTeam( TEAM_UNASSIGNED );
-			}
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			CTeam *pCombine = g_Teams[TEAM_COMBINE];
-			CTeam *pRebels = g_Teams[TEAM_REBELS];
-
-			if ( pCombine == NULL || pRebels == NULL )
-			{
-				ChangeTeam( random->RandomInt( TEAM_COMBINE, TEAM_REBELS ) );
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				if ( pCombine->GetNumPlayers() > pRebels->GetNumPlayers() )
-				{
-					ChangeTeam( TEAM_REBELS );
-				}
-				else if ( pCombine->GetNumPlayers() < pRebels->GetNumPlayers() )
-				{
-					ChangeTeam( TEAM_COMBINE );
-				}
-				else
-				{
-					ChangeTeam( random->RandomInt( TEAM_COMBINE, TEAM_REBELS ) );
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
+	if ( GetTeamNumber() != FF_TEAM_UNASSIGNED )
+		return;
+	
+	// FF TODO: remove once team hud is in / or auto assign
+	// temp hack assumes FF_TEAM_ONE is present 
+	ChangeTeam ( FF_TEAM_ONE );
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_gamerules.cpp b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_gamerules.cpp
index 5ef64c9d..b31d4342 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_gamerules.cpp
+++ b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_gamerules.cpp
@@ -181,18 +181,6 @@ char *sTeamNames[] =
 {
 	"#FF_TEAM_UNASSIGNED",
 	"#FF_TEAM_SPECTATOR",
-	"#FF_TEAM_BLUE",
-	"#FF_TEAM_RED",
-	"#FF_TEAM_YELLOW",
-	"#FF_TEAM_GREEN",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM1",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM2",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM3",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM4",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM5",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM6",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM7",
-	"#FF_TEAM_CUSTOM8",
 };
 
 
@@ -250,16 +238,12 @@ CFF_SH_Rules::CFF_SH_Rules()
 {
 #ifndef CLIENT_DLL
 	// Create the team managers
-	// TODO: right now this creates a team for every team name string,
-	// hook this into lua and have it create teams as needed per map
-	// or something cool like that 
-	for ( int i = 0; i < ARRAYSIZE( sTeamNames ); i++ )
-	{
-		CFF_SH_TeamManager *pTeam = static_cast<CFF_SH_TeamManager*>(CreateEntityByName( "ff_team_manager" ));
-		pTeam->Init( sTeamNames[i], i );
+	// TODO: hook into lua
+	AddTeam( "Unassigned" );
+	AddTeam( "Spectators" );
 
-		g_Teams.AddToTail( pTeam );
-	}
+	AddTeam( "Badass guys" );
+	AddTeam( "COol dudes" );
 
 	// Dexter: slammed this to always true instead of the cvar for now
 	//m_bTeamPlayEnabled = teamplay.GetBool();
diff --git a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_shareddefs.h b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_shareddefs.h
index 4a2357e6..8c5ecc29 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_shareddefs.h
+++ b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_shareddefs.h
@@ -55,13 +55,12 @@ enum FF_TEAM
 	FF_TEAM_TWENTYSIX,
 	FF_TEAM_TWENTYSEVEN,
 	FF_TEAM_TWENTYEIGHT,
-	FF_TEAM_TWENTYNINE,
+	FF_TEAM_TWENTYNINE, // WARNING: Do not add more than 31 as more will not work with a bit mask.
 	FF_TEAM_THIRTY,
-	FF_TEAM_THIRTYONE, // WARNING: Do not add more than 31 as more will not work with a bit mask.
-
-	FF_TEAM_LAST = FF_TEAM_THIRTYONE
+	FF_TEAM_LAST = FF_TEAM_THIRTY  	// if you're worried about bitmask dont forget FF_TEAM_ONE started from 2 you dork.
 };
 
+// if you really want to use int here dont forget 31 is the sign bit
 const int FF_TEAM_BITS[] =
 {
 	0,			0,			(1<<0),		(1<<1),		(1<<2),
@@ -70,7 +69,7 @@ const int FF_TEAM_BITS[] =
 	(1<<13),	(1<<14),	(1<<15),	(1<<16),	(1<<17),
 	(1<<18),	(1<<19),	(1<<20),	(1<<21),	(1<<22),
 	(1<<23),	(1<<24),	(1<<25),	(1<<26),	(1<<27),
-	(1<<28),	(1<<29),	(1<<30)
+	(1<<28),	(1<<29),	(1<<30),	(1<<31),
 };
 
 enum FF_WEAPON
diff --git a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.cpp b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.cpp
index 274988fc..74b3d2e7 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.cpp
+++ b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.cpp
@@ -279,26 +279,18 @@ int CFF_SH_TeamManager::PickAutoJoinTeam( )
 	return FF_TEAM_ONE;
 }
 
-bool CFF_SH_TeamManager::IsTeamFull() const
+bool CFF_SH_TeamManager::IsTeamFull( )
 {
 	if (m_iMaxPlayers == 0)
 		return false;
 
-	int numActive = 0; 
-	for( int i = 1; i <= gpGlobals->maxClients; i++ )
-	{
-		CFF_SV_Player *pPlayer = (CFF_SV_Player *) UTIL_PlayerByIndex( i );
-		if( pPlayer && pPlayer->GetTeamNumber( ) == GetTeamNumber( ) )
-			numActive++;
-	}
-
-	return m_iMaxPlayers == 0 ||numActive > m_iMaxPlayers; // GetNumPlayers( ) > m_iMaxPlayers;
+	// rely on gameplay to always be on which keeps count for us
+	return m_iMaxPlayers == 0 ||  GetNumPlayers( ) > m_iMaxPlayers;
 }
 
 #endif
 
-//ConCommand ff_team( "ff_team",
-//ConCommand ff_team( "ffdbg_dump_teams",
+
 #if defined (_DEBUG) && defined (GAME_DLL)
 void DebugSetTeamName_f( const CCommand &args ) 
 {
diff --git a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.h b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.h
index bf091223..f6c8fda1 100644
--- a/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.h
+++ b/mp/src/game/shared/ff/ff_sh_team_manager.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public:
 	static bool HandlePlayerTeamCommand( CFF_SV_Player &pPlayer, int iNewTeam );
 	static int PickAutoJoinTeam( );
 
-	bool IsTeamFull() const;
+	bool IsTeamFull();
 #endif // GAME_DLL
 
 	// shared getters