I think people overestimate what hiding can do for you. Hiding does not immediately shield you from harm. You can’t hide if there’s nothing to hide behind. If an enemy walks around your cover, even the best stealth roll in the whole world won’t keep you hidden.
How did the DM react to your new strategy?
This rule has been in the book ever since the PHB first released. If this was something you didn’t use, you either missed it or played a different edition.