Looking at x-bows without any thought of a mechanic buff or nerf, this is my single biggest issue with x-bows. The upkeep is redonkulous given that during an AVERAGE round you may shoot it twice unless you're camping some nigh unreachable roof, in which case everyone votekicks you anyways rendering that strategy moot half the time.
Well... while I don't know what sorts of maps you play on NA servers, on EU servers on some maps playing as a crossbowman ( I was a crossbow/polearm hybrid last gen with more crossbow wpf of course) makes sense and nets you kills - but to score 3-4 kills in a round with a crossbow you'll need a good position, wpf (since you will be firing from range and even if you didn't you want the reload speed) and a bit of luck. However, on many maps it's more efficient to just melee, even if your char is crossbow oriented (but on the other hand a crossbow oriented char isn't gimped in melee, so it's not a problem).
Of course the crossbow pays off when you shoot some really good lancer's horse or assassinate some hero melee fighter, since that sort of thing wins rounds.
But my point is, unless you're going to play as a crossbowman, meaning spend most of the round firing the crossbow rather then charging around like a normal infantryman, it just doesn't make sense really to carry one. Consumes a lot of upkeep, weighs you down, and if you aren't playing as a crossbowman you'll be able to fire it once or twice. You're better off with throwing as a sidearm, or hell, even a bow, because these things can be fired on the move (bow not so much as throwing, but eg strongbow you can stop for a moment, fire, and resume moving, something impossible to do with a crossbow).
Overall, I think crossbows are fine, and the only thing I'd do is to make it rain less often.
