diff --git a/src/components/GameTable.tsx b/src/components/GameTable.tsx
index e405e36..12e8c4f 100644
--- a/src/components/GameTable.tsx
+++ b/src/components/GameTable.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { AnimatePresence, motion } from "framer-motion";
-import { Crown, Flag, LogOut, SmilePlus, Volume2, VolumeX, WifiOff, Zap } from "lucide-react";
+import { Crown, Flag, LogOut, SmilePlus, Volume2, VolumeX, Zap } from "lucide-react";
 import { useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
 import { useGameStore } from "@/lib/game-store";
 import { useSoundStore } from "@/lib/sound-store";
@@ -210,7 +210,6 @@ export function GameTable({
         <TurnTimer />
         <TurnIndicator />
       </div>
-      <DisconnectBanner />
       <Reactions />
       <ShortcutsHint />
 
@@ -734,33 +733,6 @@ function TurnTimer() {
   );
 }
 
-function DisconnectBanner() {
-  const seat = useGameStore((s) => s.disconnectedSeat);
-  const deadline = useGameStore((s) => s.reconnectDeadline);
-  const name = useGameStore((s) => (seat != null ? s.seatPlayers[seat]?.name : null));
-  const secs = useCountdown(deadline);
-  const { t } = useI18n();
-  return (
-    <AnimatePresence>
-      {seat != null && (
-        <motion.div
-          initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -10 }}
-          animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
-          exit={{ opacity: 0 }}
-          className="absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 z-40"
-        >
-          <div className="glass rounded-2xl px-4 py-3 flex items-center gap-2.5 text-sm">
-            <WifiOff className="size-5 text-rose-300 animate-pulse" />
-            <span className="text-cream/90">
-              {t("dc.waiting", { name: name ?? "", s: secs ?? 0 })}
-            </span>
-          </div>
-        </motion.div>
-      )}
-    </AnimatePresence>
-  );
-}
-
 /* ----------------------------- Reactions ------------------------------ */
 
 const REACTION_POS: Record<number, string> = {
diff --git a/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx b/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx
index 95a8a3c..42a3c68 100644
--- a/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HomeScreen.tsx
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ export function HomeScreen() {
           <span className="text-cream/60 align-middle mr-2 text-xs sm:text-sm">{t("app.subtitle")}</span>
         </div>
 
-        {/* mode cards */}
+        {/* mode cards — stacked vertically for portrait */}
         <motion.div
           initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 14 }}
           animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
-          className="flex-1 min-h-0 flex items-center justify-center gap-3 sm:gap-4 short:gap-2"
+          className="flex-1 min-h-0 w-full max-w-md mx-auto flex flex-col justify-center gap-3 short:gap-2"
         >
           <ModeCard
             tone="gold"
@@ -211,23 +211,25 @@ function ModeCard({
         color: c.fg,
         boxShadow: `0 7px 0 ${c.lo}, 0 12px 20px rgba(0,0,0,.32), inset 0 2px 0 rgba(255,255,255,.4)`,
       }}
-      className="relative flex-1 max-w-[220px] sm:max-w-[260px] min-h-[200px] sm:min-h-[230px] short:min-h-[140px] rounded-3xl px-3 py-5 short:py-3 flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2.5 short:gap-1.5 text-center"
+      className="relative w-full rounded-3xl px-4 py-4 short:py-3 flex items-center gap-4 text-start"
     >
-      {badge && (
-        <span className="absolute top-2 ltr:right-2 rtl:left-2 rounded-full bg-rose-500 px-2 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-bold text-white shadow">
-          {badge}
-        </span>
-      )}
       <span
-        className="grid size-14 short:size-11 place-items-center rounded-2xl"
+        className="grid size-14 short:size-12 place-items-center rounded-2xl shrink-0"
         style={{ background: "rgba(255,255,255,.22)" }}
       >
         {icon}
       </span>
-      <span className="text-base short:text-sm font-black leading-tight">{name}</span>
-      <span className="text-[11px] font-medium leading-tight" style={{ opacity: 0.78 }}>
-        {desc}
+      <span className="flex-1 min-w-0">
+        <span className="block text-lg short:text-base font-black leading-tight">{name}</span>
+        <span className="block text-[11px] font-medium leading-tight" style={{ opacity: 0.78 }}>
+          {desc}
+        </span>
       </span>
+      {badge && (
+        <span className="shrink-0 rounded-full bg-rose-500 px-2 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-bold text-white shadow">
+          {badge}
+        </span>
+      )}
     </motion.button>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/online/NavRail.tsx b/src/components/online/NavRail.tsx
index f0c2d11..f7fbc78 100644
--- a/src/components/online/NavRail.tsx
+++ b/src/components/online/NavRail.tsx
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ import { cn } from "@/lib/cn";
 type Item = { key: Screen; icon: typeof Home; label: string; authed?: boolean; badge?: number };
 
 /**
- * UNO-style primary navigation. A vertical rail pinned to the side in landscape
- * (the app's main orientation) and a bottom tab bar in portrait. Active section
- * is highlighted gold and pulled forward.
+ * UNO-style primary navigation: a single rounded "pill" tab bar floating at the
+ * bottom on every screen (portrait-first). Active section is highlighted gold.
+ * `bottom` only drops the redundant "home" item when used on the home screen.
  */
 export function NavRail({ bottom = false }: { bottom?: boolean }) {
   const screen = useUIStore((s) => s.screen);
@@ -48,16 +48,8 @@ export function NavRail({ bottom = false }: { bottom?: boolean }) {
   return (
     <nav
       className={cn(
-        "z-20 shrink-0 glass flex justify-around gap-1 p-1.5",
-        bottom
-          ? "rounded-2xl border border-gold/15"
-          : cn(
-              // portrait: bottom bar; landscape: side rail
-              "border-t border-gold/10 pb-[max(0.375rem,env(safe-area-inset-bottom))]",
-              "landscape:order-first landscape:h-full landscape:w-[78px] landscape:flex-col landscape:justify-center",
-              "landscape:gap-1.5 landscape:py-3 landscape:pb-3 landscape:border-t-0",
-              "ltr:landscape:border-r rtl:landscape:border-l"
-            )
+        // A single rounded "pill" navbar everywhere (matches the home screen).
+        "z-20 shrink-0 glass flex justify-around gap-1 p-1.5 rounded-2xl border border-gold/15"
       )}
     >
       {items.map((it) => {
@@ -67,8 +59,7 @@ export function NavRail({ bottom = false }: { bottom?: boolean }) {
             key={it.key}
             onClick={() => go(it.authed && !isAuthed ? "auth" : it.key)}
             className={cn(
-              "relative flex min-w-[54px] flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1 rounded-2xl px-1.5 py-2 transition",
-              !bottom && "landscape:w-full landscape:py-2.5",
+              "relative flex flex-1 min-w-0 flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1 rounded-2xl px-1 py-2 transition",
               active ? "btn-gold shadow-lg" : "text-cream/55 hover:bg-navy-800/60 hover:text-cream"
             )}
           >
@@ -77,8 +68,8 @@ export function NavRail({ bottom = false }: { bottom?: boolean }) {
                 {it.badge > 9 ? "9+" : it.badge}
               </span>
             )}
-            <it.icon className={cn("size-5", active && "text-[#2a1f04]")} />
-            <span className={cn("text-[10px] font-bold leading-none", active && "text-[#2a1f04]")}>
+            <it.icon className={cn("size-5 shrink-0", active && "text-[#2a1f04]")} />
+            <span className={cn("max-w-full truncate text-[10px] font-bold leading-none", active && "text-[#2a1f04]")}>
               {it.label}
             </span>
           </button>
diff --git a/src/components/online/ScreenHeader.tsx b/src/components/online/ScreenHeader.tsx
index ecf3680..5f926be 100644
--- a/src/components/online/ScreenHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/components/online/ScreenHeader.tsx
@@ -52,14 +52,21 @@ export function ScreenShell({
   hideNav?: boolean;
 }) {
   return (
-    <main className="persian-pattern relative h-dvh w-full overflow-hidden overscroll-contain safe-top safe-x flex flex-col landscape:flex-row">
-      {/* content panel — scrolls internally, uses the width in landscape */}
+    <main className="persian-pattern relative h-dvh w-full overflow-hidden overscroll-contain safe-top safe-x flex flex-col">
+      {/* content panel — scrolls internally so the page never scrolls as a whole */}
       <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden overscroll-contain">
-        <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-2xl landscape:max-w-5xl px-4 pt-3 pb-8 sm:px-6">
+        <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-2xl px-4 pt-3 pb-8 sm:px-6">
           {children}
         </div>
       </div>
-      {!hideNav && <NavRail />}
+      {/* floating rounded navbar (matches the home screen) */}
+      {!hideNav && (
+        <div className="shrink-0 px-3 pt-2 pb-[max(0.5rem,env(safe-area-inset-bottom))]">
+          <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-md">
+            <NavRail />
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </main>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/game-store.ts b/src/lib/game-store.ts
index fcdd3f3..f5cf8d2 100644
--- a/src/lib/game-store.ts
+++ b/src/lib/game-store.ts
@@ -32,10 +32,8 @@ export const TIMING = {
 /** Base turn time (starter league / vs-AI). Higher leagues use less — see
  *  `turnMsForStake`. Kept for reference; scheduling derives the real value. */
 export const TURN_MS = 15000;
-/** Grace period to wait for a disconnected player to return. */
+/** Grace period to wait for a disconnected player to return (live games). */
 export const RECONNECT_MS = 15000;
-/** Per-turn chance an online opponent briefly drops (mock). */
-const DISCONNECT_CHANCE = 0.07;
 
 export type GameMode = "ai" | "online";
 
@@ -267,27 +265,10 @@ export const useGameStore = create<GameStore>((set, get) => {
             scheduleAuto();
           }, turnMs);
         } else {
-          const st = get();
-          if (
-            st.mode === "online" &&
-            st.disconnectedSeat == null &&
-            Math.random() < DISCONNECT_CHANCE
-          ) {
-            // simulate this opponent dropping; wait for them, then they return
-            set({
-              turnDeadline: null,
-              disconnectedSeat: seat,
-              reconnectDeadline: Date.now() + RECONNECT_MS,
-            });
-            const back = Math.floor(RECONNECT_MS * (0.4 + Math.random() * 0.45));
-            pending = setTimeout(() => {
-              set({ disconnectedSeat: null, reconnectDeadline: null });
-              playSeatAI(seat);
-            }, back);
-          } else {
-            set({ turnDeadline: null });
-            pending = setTimeout(() => playSeatAI(seat), fast(TIMING.aiPlay));
-          }
+          // Opponents (bots / filled seats) simply auto-play their turn — no
+          // simulated disconnects, no pause, no banner.
+          set({ turnDeadline: null });
+          pending = setTimeout(() => playSeatAI(seat), fast(TIMING.aiPlay));
         }
         break;
       }