Be aware of high ground – if you can, take it. If an opponent with multiple Crossbows has a height advantage against you, I’d strongly consider retreating and reengaging.
In my experience, that means guaranteed death for a front row bro before you can retreat and reengage, haha. Still, I haven’t had nearly as much bad luck with crossbows as the OP, and I’m playing on expert but not iron man. Newbie archer killed by one headshot before I can get steelbrow and anticipation, yes, but so many headshots in a row on an already well statted bro with anticipation and ranged defence, no. That really doesn’t happen. Normally the enemies decide the high ranged defence bros in the back row are not worth shooting at and shoot at my highly armored brothers with kite shields in the front instead.
…. ah, maybe that’s it. If you make your back row a poor target, enemy archers and crossbowmen will decide (quite rightly) that the front row bros are better targets. Did you dedicate ranged defences stats to your front row bros? That may be the problem.
