balance is also about having a sensible mix of classes. (amount of players playing each class)
I.ex Archery may well be as efficient as 2h atm, but people have a tendency to pick it up faster. It might be easier, it might be that more people simply want to play archer, idk.
Fact is that at least on EU there are tons of Archers atm. When it reaches a certain threshold of arrowspam, other classes become near-unplayable. The same goes for cav..
So if there is a shift in the playerbase, as to what class they are playing, it changes the game. Then it is time for a nerf.. I feel that way very clearly with cav at the moment, and to a certain degree with archers+xbows. Shielders and 2h I feel are pretty much balanced out, considering the other advantages a shield brings. (both on a skill level, and ranged protection)
To balance things out atm here is "my recipe" in order of importance:
1. Nerf cav maneuverability, and a little bit of their top speed, so they can't be more mobile than infantry no matter the terrain.
2. Nerf Archery a tiny bit. Perhaps a very few points in damage, and/or projectile speed.
3. Give back simple anti-cav weapons that are sheathable. (light, but long enough spears. Should stop cav, but not be better than pure infantry spears. The bamboo is a weapon of the type im thinking of, but we need a euro version of it.)