So how does everyone play their class?

[Kwal]

I am Heavy Infantry/pony cavalier when necessary. I use saber and shield for spam killing peasants and archers and I use my sledgehammer to bash through armor and shields, it's a very supportive weapon as it knocks down heavy nasties, making them lag behind and allowing teammates to finish them. I also use Curse Stones, as I am an alchemist, for taking out Berserker. Wanted to go one tier in archery first for the same reason as you, but then it'd take way too long to reach the next infantry class. Also, I'm waiting for a decent 1h or 2h mace to show up at the market, so I can help the Nords with any tooth problems

In open maps (Swadian Village, Beach Assault), I sometimes use my iron pony and a looted Battleaxe to confuse the Nord horde (lol Ikr), when there are no other decent cavalry around.