two problems....

[*IX*Damage]

1) when i start my CTF map (in game, not the ED) I get a message of "The Red Flag Was Returned To Base" huh?
2) no matter what (team info in place, player starts set to correct teams: red-0 blue-1) i am randomly spawning in either base no matter the color.
Help, please : )
thanks in advance

[Wanderer]

Did you click "Paths Define" button in the Rebuild window's Lighting tab?

[*IX*Damage]

no, but i also have not set up any bot paths...was making it a multi-only map. Is that a problem?

[Decker]

I'd try adding the flag base again...to solve that first problem. (It may have slipped into undefined space during editing, which like lava or any other destructive zone would cause it to be immediately returned to base for obvious reasons)
The playerstarts...hmm, not sure whats up with the playerstarts, but try either of these:
In the properties of the playerstarts manually enter in 0 for the red playerstarts (I know they default to 0).
...or in the Navigation Point field - put 0 in for the 'Owner team'.