unable to connect to internet using command line on OpenSUSE
 

On any other distribution I am able to connect over the command line using iwconfig and dhclient.

On OpenSUSE, this is not possible. It seems they want me to be tied into gnome3 or KDE.

I need a way to circumvent OpenSUSE's anti-choice mechanisms and use the internet with an alternative WM/desktop environment.

You can change configuration files inside /etc/sysconfig/network directory.
Probably you have to modify ifcfg-eth0 file (if your ethernet interface is called eth0)

have you tried using yast? It can be used from the command line.