I do the exact same thing, when you can't consume a target, just use patsy on a soldier to divert attention in that direction.

In my adventures, I have found that if you patsy and stealth consume EVERYONE inside a base, and there is one guy left alive inside, you cannot patsy him and expect him to kill himself. It doesn't work like that, sadly. Also, if you stealth consume and patsy everyone inside a base until there is none left, there is no one to raise the alert to bring the soldiers out of hiding and you will not get the base cleared bonus EP.

I just think it's for fun, even though I have used it to consume commanders.

In a base, I find a big circle of guys talking, and they all have rocket launchers (or something). Then you have some loner over near the fuel tanks minding his own business.

This is the funniest use of it, IMO.

i was so freakin confused when i found 3 rib cages layin in a corner with a commando starin at it. i guess when i patsied someone some genius with a grenade launcher got a little jumpy

I always patsy whichever soldiers weapon I want to use. I wish there was another upgrade to have you patsy an armored vehicle, including choppers. I'd be cool, think about it!

I was going to say that was completely crazy and would never work, but on reflection there'd be nothing stopping you claiming you saw Mercer invade another vehicle over the radio. That would be a lot of fun if they did it right.