The Post-Apocalyptic Roadmap/Balkan Peninsula

Part of the Post-Apocalyptic Roadmap Project.

Most of the countries here, lacking strategic resources and being on somewhat good terms with both Russia and the West, are left relatively unscathed. Nukes hit some of the Mediterranean naval bases to the south, and much of the population of the Balkan peninsula goes into the numerous mountains in search of safety and clean water sources. A fraction of the people turn to traditional values, strongly ingrained in the local populace and self-sufficient, well-armed communes start forming. Most, however, simply see the world-wide catastrophe as a perfect excuse to loot, mug and plunder, since the government and all its power has collapsed... in other words busyness as usual, only harder. Although Slovenia and Croatia get off most cleanly, both countries nevertheless collapse into smaller city-states as people panic and flee to the countryside and smaller regional towns. Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes a quagmire of ethnic war once more. Serbs, Kossovars, Albanians and Macedonians dissolve into open conflict over ancient and petty feuds, Greeks lose weight due to the decrease in income from tourist activity, Turks are too busy fighting off southern neighbors to launch all-out Jihad and any Bulgarians that haven't fled to the mountains live miserable lives of toil under the oppressive rule of thugs and cutthroats. Just like now, only more muddy. Any existing cities are either ruled with a totalitarian iron fist, self-sufficient, fortified and armed to the teeth and prepared to battle and prevail against the local roving warbands, or ruins where only looters and scum roam.

Also, Rasputin is reincarnated as a frenzied Bulgarian war-priest dual-wielding chainsaws and/or double barreled shotguns.