system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
The Last Airbender: Why didn't Zhao wait for a new moon before attacking the water tribe?

why does Zhao attack the northern water tribe on the night of a full moon? Even if he had a trump card (knowing of the existence and location of the koi fish), it was foolish and arrogant to jeopardize his mission by not waiting two weeks for the water tribe to be at its weakest. The tribe is nearly impenetrable and withstood 100 years of war. He could have afforded to wait an extra fortnight.

I know he knew Aang was there, but he should have realized he was training, and would probably not leave until he mastered water. I buy that the arrogance and lack of patience is in line with his character, but as a military general he should understand strategy.
gpt
The fact that Aang was there is exactly why he *couldn't* wait. Zhao fought Aang before, and got severely outclassed. He knew better than to risk letting the Avatar master another element before attacking him. Honestly, if Aang and Katara had gotten two and a half extra weeks of training with Master Pakku, the Invasion would have gone very, very differently.   (I also wonder what Sokka would have been like with extra warrior training, he was a decent fighter even without any real formal training, and even better after just three days with Piando.)