English
Our new series of articles is about the biggest, best and coolest paintball fields in Germany. We visit a field for each edition and make a detailed report for you in which we inform you about the key data of the field and the special features of the individual facilities. This time we were guests for you at the largest and most well-known paintball facility in northern Germany. In the Paint Park Wöbbelin in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Today we are heading north, more precisely to the Paint Park in Wöbbelin. The facility is one of the oldest and largest paintball fields in northern Germany. Every weekend, hundreds of paintballers play action-packed games in a great atmosphere on around 120,000 square meters. Since opening in 2004, the structures of the facility and everything else around it have been constantly expanded and improved. Year after year, the local operators surprise with numerous innovations and changes. We reach the facility early on Saturday morning. We drive onto the site through a small gate on the country road. A long driveway leads to the parking spaces in front of the main building. Although it is not yet 10 a.m., the parking lot is already full. All players are represented here, from rental outfitters who want to celebrate their birthday or bachelor party here, to woodland & scenario players, to tournament teams, everything that likes to play paintball is gathered in the parking lot. The high number of players in the morning also has something to do with the size of the facility, because you need at least a whole day to test every field and also the highlights on the edge of the fields. A whopping eight Woodland fields of different sizes and designs await scenario fans.
Whether you want to play with three to six players or start a big game with 20 players on each side, the fields are definitely there and offer plenty of space. There are also two full-size tournament fields on which almost everything that exists in German tournament paintball is played, from the district league to the 3rd Bundesliga of the DPL. The house team "Paint Fight", from Schwerin, is honored here, as well as numerous other teams from the north. Together you train for the upcoming league season. The tournament fields offer plenty of highlights with covered pit boxes, large lounge areas (also covered) and a commentary stage. On league days, there is a real stadium feeling here at times. A great backdrop for tournament sports. The other fields are a colorful kids paintball field where children from the age of 10 can play, and a reball hall in the upper part of the main building. – Here you can improve your snapshooting skills with rubber balls in winter, regardless of the weather. A cost-effective and, above all, clean alternative for the winter for tournament players.
But first, let's get started on the registration process. The old radio office building from GDR times serves as the headquarters of Paint Park Wöbbelin. The operators have erected large wooden terraces outside in front of the building. Here you can sit together, have a barbecue and have a cold drink or two, whatever the weather, while reviewing what you have experienced together. The reception is located inside the building. All players register here in the morning before they go onto the field for the first time. The registration also serves as an issuing point for paintball equipment, which newcomers and paintballers with a day pass can borrow for little money. Paintball balls and other accessories can also be bought here. If you like it a little rougher, you can also get smoke bombs and color grenades at this point, which you can later throw at your opponents on the field. A lot of fun, especially on narrow terrain like the large container field.
Fully equipped, we now make our way to the first playing field with a larger, motley group. Directly in front of the entrance to the main building, to the right of the Chronystation, is a small piece of forest. There are small huts and lots of wood covering between the trees in a great atmosphere. Game on, let's go… After about two hours we have the first three fields with several rounds and side changes behind us. The fields play really well and varied. Not only is the division of the fields different every time, but also the environment, the type of cover and the size. After we had made the forest unsafe in the first game, we then went to a netted open area with lots of vehicles. The field represents a kind of junkyard or an old machine park. A very cool presentation. Of course, all of this is exhausting, so let's go back to the main building. You can also eat something delicious there. In addition to sausage and grilled meat, there is also the famous ketwurst. A bockwurst in a soft bun with a good portion of ketchup as an "infusion". It's really tasty and something you should definitely try in the park 😉 While the players are getting their lunchtime snack, it's much quieter on the pitches. We therefore use the lunch break to quickly take a look at the shop on the upper floor of the main building. What many do not know, Wöbbelin is one of the few playing fields in the north to offer a fully equipped paintball shop on its premises. This is really impressive and has a very modern industrial design. From small and spare parts to complete equipment, you can get everything that makes a paintball heart beat faster. The shop is well stocked and what is not in stock can be ordered until the next match day. A great solution for all paintball fans in the region. Back at the bottom, we talk to Michael Hoffmann, he is the field manager of the Paint Park Wöbbelin and is responsible for the smooth running of the facility, the well-being of the guests and future planning. – And this is exactly what interests us now. We want to know what else is planned for the park.
“By 2021, for example, we are planning two more rental pitches,” Michael tells us. There are other changes as well. The sanitary areas for the women are to be renewed in order to be able to offer the female players even more comfort during their visit. The number of women in paintball is increasing every year and we think this step is a step in the right direction. "In addition, we are gradually converting all the old pitches or renewing parts of the facility," explains Michael. His team is also planning to expand the air supply to the entire facility. Soon there should be the possibility to refill air for your marker on every field. This saves walking distances and increases the effective playing time. "Our guests should also be able to enjoy a certain amount of relaxation in addition to the paintball fun. We achieve this through such small changes in a very natural overall design of the facility," Michael tells us. That sounds more than promising. The future of the facility seems clearly structured and the players can look forward to high-class paintball fun in the years to come.
What else is there, or what else can we see today in the second half of the day, we want to know… Michael recommends the hotel's own bathing lake. On warm days, the perfect way to cool down after a long, exhausting day of paintball. – Said and done! The bathing lake is definitely worth it. That was our day at Paint Park Wöbbelin. We have to admit it was exhausting, but we really saw a lot. Unfortunately not everything, because as expected, it really takes a whole weekend to fully enjoy this huge park and all its highlights. The operators also know this, and so there is the possibility for all those hungry for action to stay in nearby holiday apartments. For larger groups and teams there is even a 200sqm penthouse apartment with 17 (!) beds on the upper floor of the main building. You can stay here with your team for a league weekend, for example, and not only have a short journey to get there on the day of the game, but you are also guaranteed to be the first on site and still rested. Bachelor parties have also been celebrated here, a really cool party location. Another reason to stay overnight is the night games that take place regularly. These special match days take place after sunset and are played on fields with special lighting. A very special highlight that you definitely can't experience anywhere else in the region. The night games take place several times a year from October to March and, along with the SnowRunner Big Game, are the highlights of the park season. At this point, we wish all current and future visitors to Paint Park Wöbbelin at least as much fun as we had. Just switch off and experience a great day with lots of paintball and nice people…
