"Yet all that is lacking is some medium through which the mercenaries can move, and the ability to act autonomously." made me think of the ESM insurrections that appear to be in countries that are not well connected with electronic media. Citizens in those countries are more likely to act out rather than make formal complaints about that under-performing, non-snoozing, dead-as-a-door-nail Norwegian Blue. We lambs are not only much more easily surveyed but much more easily harvested with the media mercenaries.
I must say that your hisorical review gives me a much different view of the martial arts industry/recreation.