How to - Miniatures:
Need:
A good scalpel. The better the scalpel, the easier it is to do the work.
Some clipper thingies to cut the pieces out of the mold frame.
A tub and dish washing detergent (this is good apparently).
A hard toothbrush.
Primer, white or black. Try both. Buy from hardware store as "automotive primer" spraycans or something like that.
Open box and separate everything out.
Get the scalpel and cut away the lumps/joins from where the pieces connected to the frame and the mold lines.
Dump all the pieces into the tub of warm soapy water.
Get a hard toothbrush and clean each piece. There is a powder on the pieces left over from manufacturing that you need to get off.
When they are dry glue them together and attach bases. Do sand and stuff to the bottom if you want to buy putting some glue on the top side of the base and dropping it in the dirt or putting sand on it or something.
To prime, go outside in the middle of the lawn. Take a box or something to paint on. It can't really be too windy. Spray a fair distance away (you'll have to work that out where you are the furthest distance from the model being able to apply a decent amount of primer. Do short small bursts, you want to cover the model but with the least amount of primer as possible so that you don't fill in any of the details.
Thats the hard bit. Maybe there is like a primer wash or something?
Hint for priming. Get bluetak and stuck it to the underside of the base of the model. Stick the model to the top of the spray can. Now you can move the model around easy to spray it and not get it on your hands.
Nice sites for people starting out who aren't going to win awards for stuff:
http://www.how-to-paint-miniatures.com/
http://www.how-to-paint-miniatures.com/miniature-painting-color-scheme.html --- BEST COLOR PAGE EVER
Useful Notes:
If putting sand or something on the base. Prop your model up higher from the stand by cutting it from the slot thingo that goes in the base, cut a couple of ends off that thingo and stick them to the feet of the model then back onto the thingo. Now when you slot your model into the base its up higher and above the sand (put enough sand to reach the feet of the model).