Is there a secret bash-attack move that i'm missing, or do you just run away from every draugr warlord and frost troll?

Turn difficulty down? You can't lose that way.

As for bash attacks, normal shield bash works perfectly.

Learn to fight. My anscenstors have fought bravely for ages and yet i have to answer such a pansy question like this.
Grow a pair.

Depends on my level. When my mage was a young man, I had to pick my battles. Same with my sneak thief. The bandit chief just NW of whiterun handed it to me 5 times in a row when I was lvl 9. So I came back later at about lvl 18 or so. "Hey, remember me?" Hehe. "Not so tough now, huh Chief?!"

You haven't said what combat style you use, I assume shield and 1h based on your comment?

• Make use of your surroundings to regenerate stamina/magicka. Remember shields need stamina to block, no stamina > no absorbing damage.
  
• Shield bash, stuns your enemies, allowing for extra hits.
  
• Dodge attacks, when they go to swipe (especially power attacks) you can move back to avoid the attack.
  
• Find higher level gear, maybe that area is to difficult for you right now.
  
• Turn difficulty down.
  
• Use conjuration/illusion to help you out in battle, both can help reduce the damage dealt to you.
  
• Restoration/alchemy to heal. If you use restoration, always keep your shield out so you get the extra armor rating, use the healing spell in your right hand.

Basically just play the game and you will find your own ways to kill difficult enemies.

If you are a BAMF: smash it in the face with an axe.

If you are not quite a BAMF: same as above, but chug a lot of potions as you do so.

If you are the anti-BAMF: sit on a rock and pepper it with arrows and spells

Or make his draugr friends do it for you.

Depending on who you are fighting, you can dodge their sword attacks and battleaxes by moving backwards when they swing or sprinting backwards. It also helps having a Paralyze Potion for tough bosses, that and racial powers usually give an edge in the harder fights.

As a warrior what I'll do is try to get a sneak attack with my bow, wait for the first attack and then raise my shield up (not shield bash) to deflect the attack, get a few hits in and run out of melee range, rinse and repeat. If I have over 50% stamina I'll do a shield block during a power attack otherwise just try to dodge it. If the enemy is blocking/parrying I'll keep hitting him with my mace until he stops and if I have enough stamina I'll power attack to stagger. Just make use of all your resources and make sure you always have the necessary pots/scrolls for at least 2-3 tough boss encounters. Execution is key but preparation is also important. As you get more and more perks/better gear you'll be wrecking everything in sight no problem.

Deadly shield bash and disarm work pretty well with my 2hander. Just interrupt them with a pommel blow then power attack for Coup de grace. Elemental fury is also very nice
I play on expert no need for silly shields to cower behind

Run in with Berserker Rage. If it's a troll or undead, use Dawnbreaker.

sneak up on any npc and stab them with my daedric dagger. (only 72 dmg). That +dark brotherhood gloves (which you recieve as part of the initiation quest, which is the very first one) that make you do double damage from behind, as well as the dagger sneak perk to do 15x damage. Makes my dagger stab from behind for 30x damage (2160) without any buffs or additional perks. One stab = dead. GG

The first draugr boss I encountered, I had to kite it with arrows. And carry several bows with me because I'd get disarm shouted several times.

Unrelenting force

Be patient and wait for your chance. Get near enough so they start attacking but back enough so that you can step back and doge their attack. As soon as their attack misses, move in and strike, then move right back and do it again... at low levels those guys are tough but doable. I would recommend you save as soon as you encounter one so you can give a few tries. and if you decide its not worth the effort just RUNNNNNN

Advance in the other direction. And yes, I'm being serious. A good game should have fights you can't yet win. Unfortunately this is not always an option, if the fight also triggers a door closing. If it's hopeless at this point while using every trick in the book, reload from a point before the trap sprung.

If you are low level try a little paralysis poison on your weapon, then lay into the helpless bad guy.

Frost troll + fire = dead troll.

Draugr + turn undead = dead undead.

Stupid question, but how do you put poisons on weapons and arrows? I have a ton that I don't know how to use ...

Have the weapon you want to poison in your right hand, then use the poison, it will ask you if you want to poison that weapon.

melee is a piece of pie if you can time it right. When im facing one on one with a dargur lord i just avoid his attack altogether whilst he is swinging wildly at me. find that sweet spot where he swings and misses and you can close in for a few hits, while he recovers from his attack.

Just putting it out there, but I've turned the tide in many "impossible" battle with the Kill shout. It's quite aptly named.

Learn to fight. My ancestors have fought cheaply for ages (on top of rocks with some mead and a ton of arrows) and I have yet to answer such a stupid question like this.
Get a brain.

Here is what I do on master:

You just DON'T fight them and take whatever you need and run.

Or if you're foolish enough to even try:

• Make use of potions
  
• Make use of poisons
  
• Don't forget to use your shouts

And what you should always do:

• Buy heal/magicka and resistance (!) potions
  
• Upgrade your gear with smithery (yes, you can do that without taking perks)
  
• Give your companion good armor and a good weapon
  
• enchant, etc.

Recruit Illia.

For Dragon Priests and Centurions I sat back in sneak/hopped onto a rock and.. she tore through them with her destruction magic.