It’s not just you. Class balance for combat jobs in Stonehearth is poor. I tried to address the exact issue you’re talking about in a different thread: Soldiers, experience, delusions, and wasted time
Aviex’s workaround is valid, but it’s not a fix, just a patch for a bad system. Right now, your combat group is probably best with one knight (maybe two, tops), two to three clerics, and the rest archers. Footman is just a stepping stone on the way to a useful combat job.
My limited experience is that it’s often best to let the enemy come to you. If you’ve planned out a defensive strategy, you can help reduce the annoyance of archers.