nothing is easier then
wings 3d for modeling. Has mirror etc and does a great job. Very simple to the point interface. it also exports in direct x and works really well for Guru. For texturing I would recomend sculptris. Sculptris can create your high poly models from your low poly for creating normal maps etc and can paint normals directly onto your texture in paint mode. Blenders direct paint to normal map sucks.
My work flow is:
Model and uv map in wings 3d.
Export to object format and use object in sculptris to create high poly mesh. Save out high poly mesh and low poly and then create normal map, spec etc in
X-normal.
All these apps are 100 percent free to use and rock.
P.S or you can just sculpt your models in sculptris and then reduce resolution in sculptris, I do this for simple models like rocks logs helmets and so on.
Best Of Luck!