You guys realise with the new system you get level 15 in 1 hour max? And by then you will have money for light-medium armor and weapons so it's natural peasants are extinct.
If thats true then basically your character has been upgraded from chopped liver to chew toy. The main problem for the game as a whole is retaining new players so there is a reason to keep the servers on and make it fun. Not to mention just filling a battlefield.
The issue is, is that there is no ranking system so beginners get thrown in with the old timers, their heirloom kit and weapons of frightful smiting. At that point the newb dies instantly several times, logs off and goes back to native because its just not fun being ganked all the time.
A rare few like myself dont mind being lolstomped over and over again but the rest just vote with their mouse and go somewhere else.
Dont forget peasants are a straight up easy kill and as such primary targets for archers and anyone else within range. I have watched tin cans deviate from a large scrap just to turn me into paste because its easy and safe. Have that happen over and over and most newbs will just leave.
I was joking when I said have level specific games, but since I was the only straw hat on last night that I saw, and I attracted trouble like shit pulls flies, I think I will upgrade it to 'serious suggestion'.
Edit: Don't forget peasants are the only thing archers can kill at the mo.