I've been playing around with some zippo configs, but I'm having a little trouble gauging their effectiveness. Is there any way to tell exactly how much heat flamers, infernos, and the like give to your target? Is it the same as the heat they give you?

If the enemy mech is smoking or venting coolant, then it is likely that you are being adequately effective. If the target shuts down, then you are being extremely effective.

Usualy I'm using zippo in close encounters with snippy poppy bastards....of course if I manage to get close, they are using mostly ERL or gaus / PPC.... If they dont kill me with first shot, they always shut down after ->

3 x flamer + some infernos + rockets -> I'm managing to hit them twice before their reload.

If guy is using pure Gaus... it may be bit harder. The best is to hit that way some laser boats.

moth

Inferno AGLs used to be great for shutting down stuff but unfortunately they got nerfed in the last patch. Strangely in an indirect way i am partially to blame for this

And why's that?

Probably because Haupies were capable of shutting down an entire lance with a single salvo and keep them that way until he ran out of ammo or he overheated himself.

....Not that I did this...or anything......

If you really want to know ask me in the private forum

Well with the Heat AGL and a pair of artillery designators, you could do some serious damage to anything. I don't know if this is one of the reasons why it was nerfed but it is certianly something I have to work on a little bit more before I can really make it worth it.

Three words
ULLER OF DOOM

Oh, don't worry, I'm well on my way to having a different Uller for every day of the week

So is anyone actually going to answer my question? I know, for example, a plasma cannon does 30 damage and gives me 28 heat, but how much heat does it give to the guy taking the damage? 28? Less? More?

On a related note, how do damage points compare to armor points? Does 1 point of damage destroy 1 point of armor? How much damage can unarmored structure take?

I think it's based on what kind of armor you are outfitted with and what weapons you are being hit with.

I don't quite know the formula, but I am pretty sure that one point of damage does not destroy one point of armor.

Ask somebody who knows more about it.