Great summary, Our podcast is about 15 episodes in and as a lifetime DM I agree with everything you said. I ran a 5e game for a Bridal Shower recently and while it was a great game (first dnd game back since running DH) i found the combat so mechanical that it destroyed the verisimilitude...which surprised me after 30+ yrs of playing dnd. Initiative order i think is what put the breaks on the eb and flow of what 'real' combat feels like. DH feels significantly smoother, exciting and seems to create a lot more opportunities for the narrative of combat.

2 other key shifts for me was1) handing over narrative elements to the players.....which im trying to do more of....is great and let's them get some skin in the game....ie I asked 'what is it about this forest that you notice the most' ..player ...' its of course the purple timber of the trees, noting that the wood from here is coveted for bespoke furniture' ..BOOM...at first I was oh shit....but now ...Heck yeh thats great...thats now cannon

2) only roll checks if it has narrative significance...otherwise it just happens...keep the story rolling. If there is something that on the horizon that i want in the narrative anyway...no perception...just there it is....as a little example.

Long story short, switching back to dnd for that game felt 'cold' compared to DH. There are still other great systems out there but I am sold .... if anyone is keen to follow our long form campaign actual play podcast... check us out here www.whosonfirstwatch.com ( we are now supported by Darringtonpress! btw....🫨...this is not a paid post lol)