I feel that games that do things like this kill the immersion, as they constantly remind you that you're playing a game. When I play games that I seek realism in, I want to be obliged to seek cover, or be somewhat scared if I'm taking fire, but I want that to be me thinking/feeling that, not my in-game character. Of course, causing that reaction falls to the visuals and sound effects of the weapons..
Imagine a 12-pound shell, in all its glory, exploding over your head, then showering the men behind you in shrapnel, with bits of it whizzing past you, turning up the dirt in front of you.. the screams of your dying comrades filling your ears.. That fear is what I enjoy in realism games, not the forced and coded kind.
Or perhaps a volley shrieking past you, with your countrymen, friends, and officers falling like flies.. the whistling of the minie-balls vibrating the air, pulling at the colours, tearing apart man, wood, and earth.. and all you can do is continue loading and firing; just concentrating on that one task that you do not break and flee..