(Answered) Special Ammo: Inferno then Heat-Seeker

[Captain Punka]

On p. 45 of Alpha Commander for "Damage Resolution" it says damage is applied immediately but damage effects (e.g. critical hits, etc.) are applied in the End Phase.

The rules for Inferno SRM ammo (p. 149) state "A unit firing Inferno missiles converts its SRM damage value to HT damage..."  Therefore, since it is "damage" it could be argued the HT effects occur immediately.  Alternately, it could be argued that HT is a "damage effect" that only comes into play during the End Phase.

If I have Mech-A that applies HT damage via Inferno SRM missiles, would Mech-B using Heat-Seeking ammo immediately gain the benefit that same turn?  What about if the damage is from a normal HT attack instead?

Thanks!

[nckestrel]

Using Inferno is part of the attack declaration, not a damage effect.
Before even rolling the attack roll, you'd declare you were using Inferno, and that you are replacing SRM X with HT of X.
The HT would then apply, on a successful attack, to the unit as damage effects usually do, at the End Phase.
Also, specifically for heat, all heat adjustment is done in the End Phase, regardless of how it happened. 

Heat Seeker would not get a bonus, because the HT effect hasn't taken effect.