Select the faces you want to map, i.e. the saucer top, detach it. Then, select the detached element, scroll down the modifier rollout to UVMAP, click it. The UVMAP rollout opens...I usually leave it on planar, then hit View Align, then Fit. In the materials rollout, you shaould have your base texture already loaded, apply it to the map....then, in the modifiers rollout, scroll to UNWRAPUVW, click it, then click edit, and adjust the placement. You can also, at this time, make a template for getting the textures right, just maximize the window, take a screencap, then adjust it to the right size.
Hope this helps, without any pics to show what I'm talking about. I still have the stuff for the basic texturing tut, just been busy with the Titan, but I will get it going.