problems with simulating this on a risk board are manyfold:
1. I dont have a risk board.
2. i dont have the wierd dice the same time risk uses for battles.
3. without the "visuals" as you put it, i'd have to wait even longer for people to do orders cause it would be way harder for you all to do them.
logistics..... consider yourself as having a heavily reinforced rear.

that way it sounds like a good thing. but yes, big downside to Australia is that its hard to get troops off it (4/turn max and that's if you own china and india). but on the upside, its prety easy to defend.
card update: everyone but one player currently have 2 cards (that one has 1 card), and everyone will get one more card after this phase. i'll send everyone an updated list of cards after this update.
Answer: no Mid East is not connected to east africa. the connection is one of the "optional territories" that i decided not to use at the start of the game.
Re Orders:
of those 3 lines you have in your orders.... chose one, and that's what you get. "there can be only ONE". you can only move armies FROM one territory.