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Hey, I am making a heat based build mech as a support mech, it uses Plasma rifles and Inferno missiles. Not the most effective build I am aware, however the people I play with have said that the amount of heat that can be transferred to a enemy is a fixed amount.

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Outside factors can also build up a unit’s heat. Different
heat-causing weapons (see Weapons and Equipment, p. 113),
as well as environmental conditions (hostile environments
and fire, both of which are covered in Tactical Operations), add
heat to whatever a unit builds up with its own activities.

All such outside heat sources—meaning any heat that
does not come from a unit’s own movement and weapons
fire—are tracked somewhat differently before being added
to a unit’s own heat. These heat sources are cumulative, to a
maximum of 15 heat points (per turn)

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As they claim Plasma Rifles have the option between dealing 10 heat damage or 10 normal damage (like a special ammo option). However I have found by reading that they deal damage and heat (though 1d6 rather than 10). I will admit we both do not know the rules that well, so I am reaching out.

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Plasma Cannon
A plasma cannon delivers no damage, aside from 2D6 points
of heat, to ’Mechs, aerospace fighters and small craft during
the Heat Phase (see Outside Heat Sources, p. 159). For any other
unit type, apply 3D6 damage. After determining Damage
Value by rolling 3D6, divide the damage from a plasma cannon
into 5-point Damage Value groupings (assign any remaining
damage to a final grouping), with each grouping assigned to
a different location using the appropriate Damage Location
Table (provided the target has separate locations).

Plasma Rifle
In addition to its standard Damage Value of 10, a plasma rifle
delivers 1D6 points of heat to ’Mechs, aerospace fighters, and
small craft during the Heat Phase (see Outside Heat Sources, p.
159). For any other unit type, add 2D6 extra damage. After determining
the extra Damage Value by rolling 2D6, combine that
damage with the standard 10-point Damage Value. Then divided
that total into 5-point Damage Value groupings (assigning any
remaining damage to a final grouping), with each grouping
assigned to a different location using the appropriate Damage
Location Table (provided the target has separate locations; in the
case of battle armor, apply this damage to the unit as a whole,
rather than to each trooper).

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P.S I am also having a hard time pinning down how heat affects battle armour, tanks and conventional infantry. I am under the impression it does something nasty to them but its hard to pin down.