Also, you dont have to wait to get to high levels, you can make a skip the fun character at any time, instantly level 30, with a free 10k gold to buy some stuff with. Try out a style you are unsure of.
ABOUT getting onehit: You complain more than once about this, being one hit: That wont change by level, only by gear, but the idea of the combat system in mount and blade is that you dont NEED to get hit, this isnt some MMO where you fire your abilites at an opponent while they fire at you, whoever has the highest DPS/HP wins. It doesnt work that way, your blocking speed is NOT affected by being low level, and as everyone here can tell you, as a peasant, all you need to be doing to play your part is to support your teammates. At first this might mean standing behind them poke-pokeing with a pitchfork at any cavalry that try to flank/gank, but as the battle progresses and you find yourself being attacked, just blocking is a MASSIVE help, heres how:
A spammy 2hander is fighting your polespammer/2hander, while they are fighting, stand on your teammates left side, and block all attacks the bad guy makes at you, or at your friends left. This gives your big strong friend an opening, when he WOULD be having to block without you there, to smite that badguy in the face. YOUVE WON! This is a team game, and sure, in nice gear with a massive shiney weapon you look like a badass, but there is NOONE with ANY gear selection that can win in a fight vs an organised and carefully executed gank.
AND ONCE MORE: NOONE AT LEVEL 1 IS AFFECTED BY UPKEEP BECAUSE YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT AT LEVEL 1 YOU ONLY HAVE 3 STRENGH AND 3 AGILITY SO PLEASE STOP IGNORING WHAT IS BEING TYPED TO YOU.
Also, the grind to stop being a peasant takes about 4 hours, if you are VERY unlucky with your gear. So stop whineing. Its fun to be a peasant again, just getting thru a fight unscathed is an achievement, I'm sorry that you feel GEAR=SKILL because it doesnt and never will.