[MIN] DS2 model/painting questions

OK, for all you DS2 mini painters out there:

1) How do you all paint your 6mm/1/300/1/285/whatever infantry?  I'm
going 
to be starting on my own (finally) and I'm not sure how to go about 
painting a person that small.  I want them to look good, be
recognizeable 
for what they are, but I'm not out to win awards.

2) Anybody got any good ideas about how to straighten the barrels of 
GHQ/C&C type tanks/APCs?  The barrels are pretty close to scale, so they

are really thin.  They are all bent to some degree, and my fiddling has 
just got them to look, well, less bent.  I would like to acheive a nice,

straight barrel, especially on the tanks - that's where it's most
obvious.

Thanks!

Noah