I've noticed more interesting things about the combat mods I'm using.
My character's head staggers and swerves about during combat. It's quite hard to explain. For example, if I strafe to the side and get hit, my character's head-screen will fall close to the ground as if I've been knocked down, then it'll put itself back to the right position like he's righting himself. There's all these kinds of movements depending on how I attack or how I take hits.
It's extremely immersive. It makes it feel like I'm scrambling around and not just a walking rectangle. The fact that I can see my own blood splash on the floorboards as I scramble is very awesome indeed.
Also, because I started in the Reach and haven't been anywhere near Whiterun... I kinda forgot there are dragons in the game. I don't have any shouts. No one is aware of any dragon problems and the world is perfectly alright except for the civil war. It's quite refreshing. I can imagine Alduin just sitting around picking his teeth, waiting for the Dragonborn to activate him.
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Also, I like how the AI actually has some brains now. I can't make archers waste their arrows on hitting me behind cover anymore for one thing. They just wait until I show my face before shooting.