The earliest crossbows, even large ones, didn't have the wench. One had to stick both feet in the stirrup, sit on the ground, and straighten the back to a laying position to cock them. Those guys were quite vulnerable.
Pretty much every argument made sense to me - nearly all games use finesse for the bow but, due to the strength issue, it took years to train a bowman. Spears in the game, the reach, as stubby said, is the main advantage - it overcomes the crowding the sometimes prevents a character from getting close enough to swing.
