Getting a high Cha and levels in Marshal might not be a bad idea either.
Sadly, without ToB, sword and board is ridicolously sub-par. What books do you have available Luckily your attributes are good, so you might be able to do something anyway, Here is a build that can do something while hiding behind a tower shield:
Weaponry: Tower Shield, Flail, Whip, some kind of armour.
Str 16, dex 12, con 16 (15+1levels), wis 10, int 18(17+1levels), cha 18 (17+1 levels)
Marshal 1/Factotum 3/Paladin 6(of
freedom or slaughter) (1st level is
harmonious knight/Bard 1/Warrior Skald 1 (races of Faerun 187, alternatively an extra level of Bard will have to do)
Feat suggestions: Jotunbrud, Combat Reflexes + Improved Trip, Imperious Command, Devoted Performer (will double your paladin level for amount of bardic music per day, setting it to 14)
Depending on the gold available, this guy would benefit greatly from stat increases to Int, Cha and Str. Atm, he has +15 to his trip attempts, but he could use some sort of enlarge person effect (possibly from his cohort) to get reach and +5 extra, torc of the titans could be an option, adding another +5.
EDIT: Have his closest followers (not the high level ones, that would be a waste) be Marshals with good Cha, his council of war so to speak will add their CHA to his Int, and Str Checks, making him get even more bonus on his trip attempts.
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Alternatively:
Marshal 1 (with inspire Charisma ability)/Zhentarim Dungeoncrasher Fighter 9/Harmonious Knight 1/Warrior Skald 1
With Imperious Command (drow of the underdark), and a bunch of charisma enhancers you could easily get an intimidate check at around the 40s perhaps even 50s with Item Familiar. Then you've got this character that hammers a war-drum (attached to his shield ofc), and when the enemies get close he makes them cower in fear at his might, then he runs into them so they stumble into walls, stuff and eachother. His retinue could be a group of 6th level fighters with dungeoncrasher, and marshals with inspire strength and inspire combat maneouvres auras.