Viewing the Florentine earthworks too substantial to easily take by assault, the Imperial army settled into a pattern of artillery duels and skirmishing with the defenders instead. Meanwhile, the lack of fighting in other portions of Italy drew thousands of unemployed soldiers to the Imperial army, substantially swelling its ranks; the new arrivals included Fabrizio Maramaldo, whose reputation for brutality was such that even Clement opposed allowing him to take part in the siege.
The Florentine fortifications were too strong to be taken by force, so the Imperial army chose to engage in a prolonged artillery battle and skirmishes with the defenders instead. This strategy led to an influx of unemployed soldiers into the Imperial army, including Fabrizio Maramaldo, whose reputation for brutality caused even Clement to oppose his involvement in the siege.