Just to address the mapping question: the texture I showed was made with different objectives in mind, and was intended as an illustration of the style of mapping only. I'd make the new one vertical. That should make for the most trouble-free texturing, as others have pointed out.

Obviously any re-mapping should be done before anyone makes a start on texturing. I've PMed RAMWolff to ask the question directly in case he missed it in the hurly-burly that is this thread. :)