This thread is one huge pile of incorrect informations.
Half of you don't even play battle regularly.
At this stage of cRPG development process, playing strength oriented, well armored knight with a greatsword is by far the easiest thing is the mod.
I've followed few new guys who decided to play 2H kuyak hero, first day they were horrible. Second day they already started blocking few attacks, third day they learned a bit of footwork and were actually "good".
Manual blocking was never more accessible to the masses in cRPG than it is now.
On the other hand ranged classes are something people are used to because there is ton of FPS games out there but cRPG has been changed so much that playing ranged in cRPG is nowhere near playing with a rifle like in CoD. In CoD there is no bullet drop, there is no wpf, it's much easier to play than being ranged in cRPG.
Many people will agree that I'm decent 2H, I'm also decent with polearms and one handed weapons. I can block, have decent footwork and can many people in direct duel.
But, I'm bad cav, bad archer, bad shielder, bad xbowmen and I find any of those classes harder to become decent at.
If you ask me, playing with greatsword and long but damaging polearm is by far easiest thing for newcommers atm. That's why I see many of them playing exactly those classes.
On the other hand, there is in fact a lot of ranged and cavalry. I guess those are people who grown out of melee fights, probably weren't able to master those classes but were decent at them. So they choose something different.
Also, to be succesful at ranged, you have sacrifice pretty much most of your melee capabilities and that's why ranged kite. If they had more chance against highly optimized, armoured builds they might fight them. Right now even I don't like to fight total noobs with just 5 PS and one hander. That's because even new guys have shit ton of armor and glancing is happening all the time, also many random stuff along with that.